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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
468
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 · toast · stock · hide · capital · board · fine · band

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fine — all right
  6. craft — a skill
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. band — a music group
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. toast — bread
  13. fine — high quality
  14. craft — boats
  15. capital — a city
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — goods
  18. capital — money
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. band — a ring
  24. stock — shares

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