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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: kick · drill · present · can · degree · ruler · craft · mug

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. degree — from a university
  3. drill — a practice
  4. craft — a skill
  5. degree — temperature
  6. drill — army training
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. drill — the tool
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. degree — an amount
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — a gift
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. can — a tin
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. present — there
  19. craft — boats
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — in football

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