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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: mine · degree · bore · hide · coach · mug · bulb · suit

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. degree — from a university
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. suit — in cards
  6. degree — temperature
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bore — to drill
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bore — to tire
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — for light
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mug — a face

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