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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: suit · scale · rule · coach · trunk · wind · chip · chair

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — government
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wind — moving air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. scale — size or range
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wind — moving air
  18. scale — in music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rule — a law
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chair — to sit on

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