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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: pit · tube · trunk · row · chip · safe · perch · stock

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. row — to paddle
  3. tube — a container
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pit — in a race
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stock — shares
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. row — a line

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