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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 120 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: rule · pitch · plane · branch · chip · spell · perch · fall

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spell — a short time
  5. perch — the fish
  6. spell — magic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. chip — for betting
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitch — completely
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rule — government
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rule — a law
  19. fall — the season
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chip — to eat
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. spell — letters

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