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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: band · degree · cap · bound · temple · track · season · plane

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cap — a lid
  3. track — a path
  4. season — in sport
  5. band — a music group
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bound — certain
  9. degree — an amount
  10. band — a ring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. plane — a tool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. track — a song
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — a hat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — obliged
  23. track — to keep track
  24. season — of the year

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