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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 · ruler · chip · pitch · perch · foot · rule · trunk

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. spell — magic
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rule — government
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rule — a law
  22. pitch — completely
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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