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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 · bound · wind · fall · drill · mouse · object · mug

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mug — to rob
  5. drill — army training
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bound — certain
  8. object — a thing
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. object — to protest
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bound — obliged
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fall — to drop
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fall — to drop
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mug — a face
  21. fall — the season
  22. object — an aim
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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