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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 · suit · snap · rush · fan · can · arm · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. snap — to click
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. suit — clothes
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. toast — bread
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — to fit
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. rush — a thrill
  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