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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 120 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 · suit · leaves · racket · club · ruler · cap · field

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. suit — clothes
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — farmland
  13. club — for dancing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — of ice
  18. club — for golf
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. field — for sport
  23. club — a group
  24. ruler — a monarch

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