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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 120 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: coach · trunk · rock · perch · land · bass · cabinet · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — to come down
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — the fish
  12. land — ground
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. land — a country
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. perch — for a bird

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