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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: degree · track · mark · suit · pit · temple · craft · saw

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — the tool
  4. track — a song
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. degree — from a university
  11. craft — boats
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. degree — an amount
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a path
  18. degree — temperature
  19. track — to keep track
  20. craft — a skill
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mark — a trace
  24. craft — a handicraft

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