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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: suit · chair · capital · shower · net · object · leaves · stand

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. net — for catching
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. shower — to wash
  6. object — an aim
  7. shower — rain
  8. object — a thing
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. object — to protest
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — in cards
  19. capital — money
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stand — to bear
  24. suit — to fit

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