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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · trunk · degree · bowl · mouse · fan · chair · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. degree — from a university
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — boats
  23. last — finally
  24. degree — an amount

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