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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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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: fine · stem · jam · wave · stand · capital · tube · chest

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. capital — a city
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. chest — of your body
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. fine — all right
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. tube — a container
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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