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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 120 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.

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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: stand · current · sharp · bulb · ball · stem · degree · ruler

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. current — electric
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — of water
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. degree — from a university
  14. current — happening now
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stand — to bear
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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