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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mine · saw · temple · bay · date · cue · pitcher

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. saw — the tool
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. degree — temperature
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — for digging
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. degree — an amount
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. date — the fruit
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. degree — from a university
  24. date — on the calendar

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