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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: cap · calf · foot · ball · present · degree · root · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. present — a gift
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. degree — an amount
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cap — of ice
  8. degree — temperature
  9. craft — a skill
  10. present — there
  11. root — of a word
  12. cap — a lid
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. root — the cause
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. degree — from a university
  22. ball — a great time
  23. craft — boats
  24. root — of a plant

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