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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 116 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: bound · rule · branch · fan · suit · squash · rash · bay

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — obliged
  6. branch — a division
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bound — certain
  12. suit — to fit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rule — government
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. branch — of a tree

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