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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
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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: temple · sharp · bay · stock · wake · drill · straw · perch

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. drill — the tool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stock — shares
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stock — goods
  24. bay — a horse colour

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