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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: capital · object · craft · root · nail · stand · fall · board

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. capital — money
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. capital — a city
  6. object — an aim
  7. board — a committee
  8. root — of a word
  9. stand — to bear
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. board — to get on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. craft — boats
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fall — to drop
  16. object — a thing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. object — to protest
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fall — the season
  24. nail — on a finger

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