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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: present · hide · mug · dip · degree · bark · season · coach

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bark — to shout
  4. degree — temperature
  5. season — of the year
  6. dip — to sink
  7. present — a gift
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. present — there
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. degree — from a university
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mug — a cup
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. degree — an amount
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. season — in sport
  24. mug — to rob

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