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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.

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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 · mark · arm · lie · mine · march · jam · wave

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mark — a trace
  7. march — the month
  8. rule — a law
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. march — music
  16. mine — for digging
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. march — the month
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — government

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