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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.

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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: deal · object · coach · mug · lie · wave · degree · bowl

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — to protest
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. degree — an amount
  11. deal — to handle
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. degree — temperature
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. object — a thing
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. degree — from a university

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