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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — for betting
  4. court — of a king
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bank — for money
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. drill — a practice
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. perch — the fish
  19. court — of law
  20. drill — army training
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pit — a hole
  23. court — for sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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