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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: craft · saw · game · staff · degree · mate · mug · bound

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mug — a cup
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mate — to breed
  8. staff — a stick
  9. degree — temperature
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — the tool
  12. degree — an amount
  13. bound — tied together
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. staff — employees
  16. saw — the tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a partner
  19. game — wild animals
  20. mate — a friend
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bound — obliged

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