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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.

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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: toast · fan · board · rule · foot · mug

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. board — a committee
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — bread
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rule — a law
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rule — government
  16. foot — a measure
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fan — a supporter

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