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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: pop · arm · lie · ruler · spell · mark · field · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. deal — to handle
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. field — farmland
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spell — letters
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. field — for sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pop — soda
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. field — a subject
  22. spell — magic
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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