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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: mouse · perch · ball · track · field · file · squash · root

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. root — the cause
  14. track — a song
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. track — a path
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. root — of a word
  22. field — farmland
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. field — a subject

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