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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · suit · march · rash · degree · stand · bulb · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — the month
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. degree — an amount
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — to fit
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. march — the month
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. march — music
  23. rash — a series
  24. degree — from a university

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com