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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: cue · bound · board · temple · degree · cap · wound · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bound — obliged
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. degree — temperature
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cap — a lid
  13. degree — from a university
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cue — for pool
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. degree — an amount
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bound — certain
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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