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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.

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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: perch · chip · pitcher · lean · wave · cell · prune · current

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. current — happening now
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cell — in biology
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chip — to eat
  13. current — of water
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — electric
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lean — thin
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cell — a phone
  23. perch — the fish
  24. prune — to trim

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