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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. saw — the tool
  3. degree — temperature
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bore — to tire
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. degree — from a university
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. craft — boats
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bore — gave birth

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