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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — thin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cue — a hint
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. capital — a city
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. capital — money
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stem — to come from

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