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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.

Make a worksheet

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: jam · racket · date · lean · coach · stick · degree · pitcher

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. degree — temperature
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lean — thin
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. degree — an amount
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lean — to bend
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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