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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 · mouse · roll · rule · bound · suit · fan · fall

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — tied together
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rule — a law
  8. bound — obliged
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. toast — bread
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bound — certain
  14. fall — the season
  15. rule — government
  16. fall — to drop
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mouse — the animal

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