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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: perch · net · trunk · chip · dip · wound · wind · can

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. can — a tin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wind — moving air
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — to be able to
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — for betting
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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