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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 · jam · rule · rock · leaves · chair · bore · plane

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rock — music
  9. chair — a leader
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. toast — bread
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bore — to tire
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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