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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: cabinet · cap · craft · nail · temple · mug · bay · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. degree — from a university
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mug — a cup
  15. cap — a hat
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. craft — boats
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mug — a face
  24. nail — on a finger

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