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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.

Make a worksheet

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: degree · band · root · straw · season · temple · chair · fine

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. root — the cause
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fine — all right
  6. root — of a word
  7. season — in sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. band — a music group
  11. degree — an amount
  12. band — a ring
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. fine — high quality
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. degree — from a university
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — of the year
  23. degree — temperature
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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