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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: trunk · can · chip · perch · rule · wake · coach · sharp

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rule — government
  9. can — a tin
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wake — a trail
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rule — a law
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — for betting

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