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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: spell · racket · field · squash · pitcher · leaves · mouse · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bound — certain
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — to crush
  14. field — for sport
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. spell — magic
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. squash — the sport
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. spell — a short time
  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