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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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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: content · wave · perch · temple · fine · craft · wake · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. craft — boats
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — high quality
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. content — happy
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fine — all right
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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