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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: march · key · temple · perch · craft · bay · net · lie

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. key — the most important part
  9. march — the month
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. net — in sport
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. perch — the fish
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. key — for a lock
  16. net — after costs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — in music
  21. net — for catching
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. lie — an untruth

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