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

Word bank: stick · stand · ruler · racket · row · capital

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — a city
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. row — a line
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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