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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
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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: nail · craft · toast · can · branch · rule · cold · suit

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. toast — bread
  6. rule — a law
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. craft — boats
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cold — an illness
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. branch — a division
  24. cold — not warm

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