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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 · degree · ball · cap · present · bank · craft · cabinet

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bank — for money
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. foot — a measure
  11. present — the time now
  12. craft — a skill
  13. degree — from a university
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. craft — boats
  19. cap — a hat
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — a handicraft

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