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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.

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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: perch · mug · band · tear · pass · safe · tube · degree

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mug — a face
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. degree — an amount
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. degree — from a university
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mug — a cup
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tube — a container
  19. tear — from crying
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. tear — to rip
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. perch — for a bird

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