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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: toast · rule · craft · current · ground · rash · ball · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — the earth
  4. current — happening now
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rule — government
  12. current — of water
  13. rash — a series
  14. ground — crushed
  15. craft — boats
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ground — a position
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. toast — bread
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rule — a law
  24. craft — a handicraft

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