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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: cell · saw · degree · jam · kick · game · can · craft

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. game — a match
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. degree — an amount
  11. cell — in biology
  12. kick — in football
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. game — wild animals
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. saw — the tool
  18. degree — temperature
  19. cell — a phone
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. craft — boats
  23. degree — from a university
  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