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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
468
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 · mouse · mug · key · rock · jam · trunk · drill

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rock — music
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. degree — an amount
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. degree — temperature
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. drill — army training
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mug — a cup
  20. key — in music
  21. mug — a face
  22. drill — the tool
  23. degree — from a university
  24. jam — in traffic

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