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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: trunk · capital · foot · suit · content · patient · stand · saw

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. foot — a measure
  3. saw — the tool
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. capital — money
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. suit — to fit
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. content — the amount
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. capital — a city
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. content — happy

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