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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: wave · leaves · ground · degree · can · craft · lean · track

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. can — to be able to
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — a tin
  6. degree — from a university
  7. lean — thin
  8. degree — temperature
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. track — a path
  11. ground — the earth
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ground — a position
  19. can — a tin
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. track — a song
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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