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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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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: rule · fine · mine · toast · chair · pitch · bay · suit

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. toast — bread
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rule — government
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rule — a law
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fine — all right
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitch — completely

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