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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: temple · mouse · perch · spell · wave · cue · craft · wake

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. craft — boats
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. perch — the fish
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — magic
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — the animal

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