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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: trunk · ball · perch · chip · face · bulb · bass · stock

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chip — to eat
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ball — a great time
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — shares
  8. bass — low music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bulb — for light
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. face — to confront
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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