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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.

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
468
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: spell · clip · rule · bass · arm · key · wake · rock

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. spell — magic
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rule — a law
  7. clip — for paper
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bass — low music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rock — music
  13. clip — a video
  14. spell — a short time
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. key — the most important part
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spell — letters
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. arm — part of the body

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