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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 116 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: mouse · land · coach · bulb · pitcher · degree · calf · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. degree — an amount
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. degree — temperature
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. land — ground
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. degree — from a university

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