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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: lean · cell · arm · pitch · pound · firm · toast · key

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. toast — bread
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — in music
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lean — to bend
  14. firm — steady
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. key — the most important part
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. firm — a company
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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