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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: fan · craft · degree · key · pitcher · jam · mate · cell

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cell — in biology
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — a friend
  9. craft — boats
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. degree — an amount
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. key — for a lock
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mate — to breed
  23. cell — a phone
  24. craft — a skill

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