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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.

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: spell · rule · lie · track · wind · arm · safe · spring

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spell — magic
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spring — the season
  12. spell — letters
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rule — government
  19. rule — a law
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wind — moving air

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