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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: spell · perch · lie · ruler · chip · branch · wave · staff

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. spell — letters
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — employees
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — magic
  17. branch — a division
  18. staff — a stick
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chip — for betting
  21. spell — a short time
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — for measuring

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