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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: bowl · bear · drill · mug · pitcher · mate · lie · degree

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mate — a partner
  9. degree — from a university
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bear — the animal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. drill — a practice
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mug — a face
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. drill — the tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  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