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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 · trunk · roll · straw · root · hide · fine · can

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. chip — for betting
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fine — all right
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. roll — a list
  21. root — the cause
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fine — a penalty

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