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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · key · roll · leaves · mouse · court · pitcher · perch

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. perch — the fish
  12. court — of law
  13. key — the most important part
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. court — of a king
  24. key — in music

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