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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.

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: rest · bulb · stand · present · foot · sharp · bound · straw

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rest — what's left
  17. present — there
  18. stand — to bear
  19. present — a gift
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bound — certain
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bound — obliged
  24. straw — dry grass

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