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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
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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: rule · pop · perch · leaves · scale · ball · bore · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rule — government
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pop — soda
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — a law
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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