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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.

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: degree · bound · file · calf · craft · field · suit · game

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bound — tied together
  3. degree — temperature
  4. degree — an amount
  5. suit — in cards
  6. field — farmland
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. degree — from a university
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. file — a tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. field — for sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. file — a line of people
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — a match
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bound — certain
  22. file — a document
  23. game — wild animals
  24. field — a subject

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