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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. present — the time now
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. degree — an amount
  6. craft — a skill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — from a university
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. present — there
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. present — a gift
  18. content — the amount
  19. date — the fruit
  20. craft — boats
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — happy

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