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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
468
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 · spell · suit · wax · fork · tube · rule · bound

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — tied together
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bound — certain
  7. suit — to fit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. spell — letters
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rule — a law
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. toast — bread
  19. wax — to grow
  20. suit — clothes
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. fork — a garden tool

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