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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: suit · bay · degree · temple · mate · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. degree — temperature
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mate — to breed
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. degree — from a university
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mate — a partner
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bay — a horse colour

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