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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: stem · ruler · capital · swing · pit · rush · lean · race

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. race — humankind
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. race — the arms race
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — thin
  15. capital — a city
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. race — a contest
  18. lean — to bend
  19. swing — music
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rush — hurry
  24. capital — a big letter

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