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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.

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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: pit · degree · game · pop · mug · pitcher · coach · bear

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mug — a face
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pit — a hole
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mug — to rob
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — a match
  15. pop — music
  16. game — wild animals
  17. degree — from a university
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pop — soda
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. coach — a trainer

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