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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.

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: press · racket · scale · can · mouse · spell · perch · dip

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. scale — size or range
  5. press — to push
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — in music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — a short time
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. press — newspapers
  18. spell — magic
  19. can — to be able to
  20. press — a publisher
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spell — letters
  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