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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 120 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 · tear · temple · tube · degree · mate · leaves · key

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — in music
  4. tube — a container
  5. key — the most important part
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mate — a partner
  8. suit — clothes
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. mate — to breed
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. degree — temperature
  13. tear — to rip
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tube — the underground
  17. key — for a lock
  18. suit — in cards
  19. degree — from a university
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. degree — an amount
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mate — a friend

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