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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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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: racket · foot · capital · stem · ruler · game · bay · vault

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. capital — a city
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. capital — money
  6. stem — to come from
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. game — a match
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. vault — a safe
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. game — wild animals
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stem — a stem cell

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