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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: perch · hide · calf · stock · spring · rash · temple · craft

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. craft — a skill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stock — goods
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rash — hasty
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. spring — of water
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — boats
  16. spring — a coil
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. perch — the fish
  20. spring — the season
  21. stock — shares
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rash — a series

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