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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.

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 · charge · craft · rash · root · lie · plane · fine

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. degree — from a university
  9. craft — boats
  10. lie — to recline
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — in control
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. charge — a price
  15. rash — a series
  16. fine — all right
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fine — high quality
  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