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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 · jam · kick · ball · bear · mug · bulb · spell

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a dance
  5. spell — magic
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spell — letters
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mug — a face
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — an amount
  20. spell — a short time
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ball — a great time

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