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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: kick · bound · plane · craft · firm · capital · stand · cabinet

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. capital — a city
  4. firm — a company
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. kick — in football
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — a tool
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. capital — money
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bound — certain
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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