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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. craft — boats
  5. roll — a list
  6. degree — temperature
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. degree — an amount
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. content — happy
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — a cake
  18. can — to be able to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. can — a tin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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