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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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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: prune · craft · pass · degree · kick · trunk · key · safe

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. degree — an amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. degree — from a university
  10. key — for a lock
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. degree — temperature
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pass — a permit

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