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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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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 · roll · chair · swing · ruler · kick · leaves

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  3. perch — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. kick — in football
  8. swing — in golf
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. roll — a cake
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chip — to eat
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. chair — a leader
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. swing — to play on
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. swing — music
  23. perch — for a bird
  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