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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: foot · stem · craft · degree · rush · kick · dip · jam

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. degree — an amount
  3. craft — a skill
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rush — hurry
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — to come from
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. degree — temperature
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. degree — from a university
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. stem — a stem cell
  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