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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · perch · pitch · foot · mug · tube · game · rule

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. game — a match
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. game — wild animals
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. firm — steady
  23. tube — a container
  24. perch — for a bird

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