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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
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: temple · degree · band · straw · track · safe · fine · prune

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a ring
  3. track — to keep track
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. degree — temperature
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. prune — to trim
  15. track — a song
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. track — a path
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fine — high quality
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — an amount

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