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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 · racket · roll · bound · field · mouse · chair · leaves

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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 — the fish
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — tied together
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bound — obliged
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. field — a subject
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. field — for sport
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bound — certain
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. field — farmland
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. roll — a list
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chair — a professorship
  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