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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 124 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 · trunk · prune · firm · leaves · current · roll

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. roll — a cake
  6. current — happening now
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. current — of water
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. firm — decided
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. chip — to eat
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. firm — a company
  18. perch — the fish
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. current — electric
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. firm — steady
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. roll — a list

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