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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: cabinet · capital · object · bound · fork · root · stand · stock

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bound — certain
  3. capital — a city
  4. object — to protest
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. capital — money
  7. object — an aim
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. root — of a word
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bound — tied together
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — in a road
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. object — a thing
  18. stand — to bear
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stock — a soup base

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