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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. kick — in football
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. craft — a skill
  10. deal — to handle
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — the most important part
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. degree — from a university
  17. key — in music
  18. march — the month
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — boats
  22. march — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. march — the month

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