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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: temple · mark · cabinet · bank · degree · tube · stick · season

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tube — a container
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. degree — from a university
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bank — for money
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — temperature
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — a trace

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