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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · straw · present · toast · fan · rule · board · branch

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rule — a law
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — a division
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. rule — government
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. toast — bread
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. board — a committee
  20. suit — in cards
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. board — to get on
  24. straw — a straw man

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