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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: ball · toast · degree · field · craft · arm · vault · bear

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. field — for sport
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. vault — a safe
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. field — farmland
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. field — a subject
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bear — the animal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ball — a great time
  16. toast — bread
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. craft — boats

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