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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.

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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
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: pop · spell · mouse · root · perch · wound · pit · mark

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pop — soda
  5. pit — in a race
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. root — of a word
  18. pop — music
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pit — a hole
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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