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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: lean · track · court · patient · capital · stem · ruler · object

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lean — thin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. court — for sport
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. object — to protest
  11. court — of law
  12. capital — money
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stem — to come from
  15. capital — a city
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lean — to bend
  18. court — of a king
  19. track — a path
  20. object — an aim
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. object — a thing
  24. track — a song

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