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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: rock · capital · stick · stand · lie · trunk · coach · racket

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. lie — to recline
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. capital — money
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. capital — a city
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rock — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. racket — for tennis

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