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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 · toast · rule · hand · key · rock · row · trunk

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. row — to paddle
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. key — for a lock
  8. suit — clothes
  9. key — in music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. row — a line
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. hand — in cards
  16. toast — bread
  17. rule — government
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. hand — help
  22. rule — a law
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. key — the most important part

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