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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: degree · craft · safe · mouse · land · ground · mate · calf

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. degree — temperature
  3. craft — a skill
  4. land — to come down
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — crushed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — ground
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. degree — from a university
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mate — a partner
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. land — a country

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