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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. toast — bread
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chest — of your body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — a company
  11. key — for a lock
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. chest — a box
  18. firm — steady
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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