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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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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. net — for catching
  4. stand — to bear
  5. vault — a safe
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. capital — a city
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. capital — money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — to fit
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. net — after costs
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. net — in sport

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