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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.

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 · perch · cabinet · bass · pit · wound · rush · coach

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bass — low music
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bass — the fish
  24. perch — the fish

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