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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: kick · craft · bore · key · squash · nail · degree · tube

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. squash — the sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. degree — temperature
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tube — a container
  14. key — the most important part
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. kick — in football
  19. bore — to tire
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. squash — to crush
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. key — in music

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