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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: foot · present · craft · mouse · deal · march · leaves · degree

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. march — music
  6. deal — to handle
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. foot — a measure
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. present — a gift
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. present — there

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