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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 · shower · suit · march · ruler · firm · board · lean

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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. toast — the most admired
  2. march — the month
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — a committee
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. shower — to wash
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — music
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lean — thin
  18. march — the month
  19. lean — to bend
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. firm — decided
  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