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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: sharp · hand · chip · bulb · stock · wake · stand · fan

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wake — a trail
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hand — help
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. stock — shares
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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