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

Word bank: capital · suit · vault · patient · stem · stand

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. capital — money
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stem — to come from
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stand — to bear
  9. suit — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — to fit
  12. capital — a city
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — clothes
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  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