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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: suit · net · lean · rule · toast · rest · swing · plane

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. toast — bread
  9. rest — a break
  10. rule — government
  11. net — after costs
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. net — in sport
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. net — for catching
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rest — what's left

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