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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.

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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: sharp · chip · coach · trunk · land · perch · dip · fan

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. land — ground
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. perch — the fish
  13. land — a country
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. land — to come down
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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