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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: fine · staff · toast · mouse · last · calf · stick · ground

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. staff — a stick
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. staff — employees
  5. ground — a position
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ground — the earth
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — all right
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — bread
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ground — crushed

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