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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: suit · band · mug · degree · temple · bass · tube · rest

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. band — a music group
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mug — a cup
  11. suit — to fit
  12. degree — temperature
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bass — low music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rest — a break
  23. band — a ring
  24. rest — what's left

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