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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: ruler · wind · craft · capital · staff · bark · stand · shower

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. capital — a city
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — rain
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — a stick
  9. shower — to wash
  10. staff — employees
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. capital — money
  15. craft — boats
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wind — moving air
  21. staff — employees
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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