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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.

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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: coach · object · sharp · stand · bulb · bat · degree · mouse

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. object — to protest
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bulb — for light
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. sharp — clever
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. object — a thing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. degree — from a university
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. object — an aim
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. sharp — exactly

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