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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mug — a face
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. scale — in music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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