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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 124 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: bulb · stand · present · kick · fan · scale · toast · stick

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. present — a gift
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. present — the time now
  14. scale — in music
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. present — there
  17. toast — bread
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — size or range
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — in football

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