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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: temple · arm · jam · rush · key · spell · rule · safe

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. key — in music
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. key — for a lock
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. key — the most important part
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rule — government
  15. spell — letters
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rule — a law
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. jam — in traffic
  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