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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 120 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
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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: firm · branch · chip · shower · chair · scale · perch · trunk

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chair — a leader
  5. branch — a division
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. scale — in music
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. shower — rain
  11. chip — for betting
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. shower — to wash
  23. firm — decided
  24. chip — in a computer

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