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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: wake · temple · bay · scale · craft · content · rock · fan

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. scale — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. scale — size or range
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. content — happy
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wake — a trail
  19. content — the amount
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rock — music
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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