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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: trunk · key · fine · chip · perch · pitch · land · shower

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. land — a country
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitch — completely
  7. key — in music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. shower — to wash
  10. key — the most important part
  11. land — to come down
  12. fine — high quality
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. land — ground
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. trunk — of a car

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