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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 · lean · temple · perch · mate · rush · board · band

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lean — thin
  11. degree — an amount
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rush — hurry
  14. degree — from a university
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mate — a partner
  18. perch — the fish
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. band — a music group
  21. board — a committee
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mate — to breed
  24. degree — temperature

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