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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: perch · rush · scale · key · object · chip · kid · mouse

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. object — a thing
  7. perch — the fish
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. scale — size or range
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rush — hurry
  13. scale — in music
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. object — to protest
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. object — an aim
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. scale — for weighing

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