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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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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: bank · cap · trunk · chip · mouse · perch · cell · rule

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rule — government
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — of a river
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mouse — the animal

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