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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. game — wild animals
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bank — for money
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. game — a match
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chip — to eat
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stand — to bear

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