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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stand · date · bulb · roll · stick · staff · sharp · ruler

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — a stick
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stand — to bear
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. date — the fruit
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. roll — a list
  19. bulb — for light
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. staff — employees
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ruler — a monarch

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