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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
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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: craft · stand · drill · chair · current · capital

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chair — a leader
  6. drill — the tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. capital — a city
  11. stand — to bear
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. drill — army training
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. capital — money

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