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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: wake · mine · mug · toast · rule · suit · pit · track

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. toast — bread
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mug — to rob
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rule — government
  22. track — a path
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. suit — in cards

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