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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
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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: chip · perch · fan · rest · coach · trunk · wax · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rest — a break
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ground — the earth
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ground — crushed

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