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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: mouse · bound · swing · content · rock · perch · object · saw

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bound — certain
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. content — the amount
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — a thing
  9. swing — in golf
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. swing — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — music
  19. object — an aim
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — to protest
  24. bound — obliged

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