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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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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: arm · march · temple · ruler · bowl · spell · board · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. march — the month
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — a committee
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. spell — magic
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spell — a short time
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. march — music
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bowl — a dish

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