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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: chair · chip · rock · land · perch · wake · trunk · shower

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rock — a stone
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. land — ground
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chip — for betting
  10. land — to come down
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. shower — to wash
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — music
  18. land — a country
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — the fish
  24. chair — a professorship

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