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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 120 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: capital · racket · firm · lean · temple · stem · lie · board

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. board — to get on
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — a committee
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — to recline
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. stem — to come from
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. firm — decided
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. board — a flat piece

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