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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rule · wave · temple · cue · bound · track · arm · spell

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bound — obliged
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — a signal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rule — a law
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. spell — magic
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. spell — letters
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. temple — a place of worship

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