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

Word bank: firm · key · vault · staff · chair · pass · toast · race

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. staff — employees
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. staff — a stick
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. pass — a permit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — a leader
  14. key — in music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. race — a contest
  17. vault — a safe
  18. race — the arms race
  19. firm — steady
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. race — humankind
  22. firm — decided
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. staff — employees

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