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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. date — the fruit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. degree — an amount
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. degree — from a university
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mug — a cup
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mug — a face
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — for a bird

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