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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: rock · mouse · perch · content · temple · mine · craft · wake

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wake — a trail
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. content — the amount
  8. craft — boats
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rock — music
  11. content — happy
  12. mine — for digging
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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