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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: degree · jam · bowl · mug · deal · rush · prune · craft

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. deal — to handle
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mug — a face
  11. degree — from a university
  12. degree — an amount
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. prune — to trim
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mug — a cup
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. craft — boats
  24. rush — a thrill

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