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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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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: stem · rock · hide · suit · ruler · capital

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. capital — money
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rock — music
  6. capital — a city
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stem — of a plant

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