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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: bark · root · craft · fine · wave · mate · key · degree

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. key — in music
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. root — of a plant
  9. craft — boats
  10. degree — an amount
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. root — of a word
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. fine — all right
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. degree — from a university
  22. root — the cause
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — the most important part

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