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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: arm · rule · spell · bowl · kick · plane · rock · lie

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. spell — letters
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. kick — in football
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rule — government
  11. spell — magic
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rule — a law
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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