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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: chip · wave · bass · branch · perch · trunk · land · bear

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. perch — the fish
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — to eat
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bass — low music
  17. chip — for betting
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. land — a country
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bear — the animal
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. branch — a division

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