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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: stand · craft · bay · capital · jam · kick · court · board

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. board — a committee
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — boats
  10. capital — a city
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. kick — in football
  13. court — for sport
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. craft — a skill
  17. court — of law
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. capital — money
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. board — to get on
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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