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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: staff · present · toast · firm · straw · patient

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. present — a gift
  4. toast — bread
  5. present — the time now
  6. firm — a company
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. staff — employees
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. staff — a stick
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. present — there

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