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

Word bank: kick · degree · craft · season · foot · board · cap · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. season — of the year
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. foot — a measure
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cell — a phone
  11. degree — temperature
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. board — to get on
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cap — a lid
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. craft — a skill
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. craft — boats
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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