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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: wake · temple · mark · coach · straw · pitcher · degree · ball

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. degree — from a university
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. degree — an amount
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. degree — temperature
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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