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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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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: fork · ruler · spell · bulb · capital · lie · bound · arm

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — to recline
  5. capital — a city
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bound — certain
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. spell — a short time
  13. capital — money
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bound — obliged
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — for measuring

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