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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chair · bass · suit · wax · toast · rule · can · fine

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — to fit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. toast — bread
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. fine — all right
  10. can — a tin
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rule — government
  22. chair — a leader
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rule — a law

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