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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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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 · ruler · arm · kid · toast · temple · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kid — child
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kid — to tease
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. toast — bread
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rule — government
  24. spell — a short time

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