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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 116 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: bound · cap · plane · sharp · firm · craft · bulb · capital

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. firm — steady
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. firm — a company
  6. cap — of ice
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bound — certain
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — decided
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. capital — money
  17. bound — tied together
  18. capital — a city
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bound — obliged
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bulb — 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