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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: bay · stem · capital · suit · board · firm · lean · foot

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. capital — a city
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. capital — money
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — steady
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. firm — a company
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — to get on
  17. lean — thin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. firm — decided
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. board — a committee
  24. stem — of a plant

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