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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 120 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: leaves · temple · fan · perch · craft · arm · lie · mine

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. craft — a skill
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. perch — the fish
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. craft — boats
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lie — to recline

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