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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mark · mine · hand · arm · root · degree · craft · charge

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. charge — in control
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. degree — an amount
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. degree — from a university
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. charge — a price
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. degree — temperature
  16. root — the cause
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. craft — boats
  22. charge — electricity
  23. craft — a skill
  24. arm — a part of something

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