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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
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: saw · trunk · perch · ground · press · bulb · chip · cap

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cap — of ice
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. press — newspapers
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — a position
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. press — a publisher
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. press — to push
  21. bulb — for light
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — for betting

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