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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.

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 · mine · coach · straw · suit · fine · bulb · race

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — high quality
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. race — humankind
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fine — all right
  13. degree — temperature
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. race — a contest
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. suit — in cards

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