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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: jam · cell · spell · toast · trunk · rule · fall · suit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. cell — in biology
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rule — government
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — clothes
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spell — magic
  14. fall — to drop
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — to fit
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cell — a phone
  19. spell — a short time
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. trunk — of a car

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