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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
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: scale · court · mouse · hide · field · suit · perch · mark

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. field — for sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. perch — the fish
  8. court — for sport
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. court — of a king
  11. field — farmland
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. court — of law
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. field — a subject

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