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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. board — a committee
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stem — to come from
  15. capital — money
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — on your feet

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