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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. degree — temperature
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — the cause
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. craft — a skill
  7. degree — from a university
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. degree — an amount
  10. kick — in football
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — boats
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. charge — in control
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — of a tree

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