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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: temple · file · craft · net · lash · jam · perch · pitcher

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. perch — the fish
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. craft — boats
  23. net — in sport
  24. pitcher — a jug

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