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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: lean · charge · rush · craft · pitcher · bore · degree · saw

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. degree — from a university
  4. craft — a skill
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. degree — temperature
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. saw — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. lean — thin
  13. charge — in control
  14. bore — to tire
  15. degree — an amount
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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