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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · capital · shower · club · stand · squash · trunk · scale

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. scale — size or range
  4. root — of a plant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. club — for golf
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. capital — money
  12. squash — the sport
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. root — the cause
  15. capital — a city
  16. squash — to crush
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. stand — to bear
  20. root — of a word
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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