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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 120 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: stock · key · can · craft · lean · ball · capital · tear

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. capital — a city
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ball — a dance
  8. key — in music
  9. capital — money
  10. tear — from crying
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. tear — to rip
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. can — a tin
  18. lean — thin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tear — from crying
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lean — to bend

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