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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: degree · temple · date · mark · squash · safe · tube · toast

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. degree — temperature
  5. toast — bread
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mark — a trace
  8. date — the fruit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. squash — the sport
  12. degree — from a university
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — a container
  22. mark — a grade
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. toast — the most admired

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