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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 120 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.

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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: racket · key · perch · mouse · last · field · staff · fall

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — the fish
  8. field — a subject
  9. last — final
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. field — for sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. last — finally
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — a stick
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. key — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. last — to go on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. field — farmland
  24. perch — for a bird

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