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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: racket · pitcher · stem · stand · fall · capital · chest · suit

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. capital — money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. chest — of your body
  8. capital — a city
  9. suit — to fit
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chest — of your body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chest — a box
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — to bear

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