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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: mouse · leaves · pitch · perch · bat · coach · pop · foot

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — the fish
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pop — soda
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pitch — completely
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pop — to visit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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