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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: firm · bay · stick · sharp · pop · kick · drill · toast

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — in football
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pop — to visit
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pop — music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. drill — the tool
  13. sharp — clever
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. toast — bread
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — a practice
  20. firm — a company
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — soda
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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