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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: toast · club · present · perch · degree · craft · foot · plane

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. present — the time now
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. present — there
  6. plane — a tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. perch — the fish
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. club — for golf
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. degree — temperature
  16. present — a gift
  17. club — for dancing
  18. degree — from a university
  19. club — a group
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. foot — a measure
  23. degree — an amount
  24. foot — part of the body

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