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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 · toast · mouse · safe · ground · root · last · craft

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ground — the earth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. toast — bread
  13. firm — a company
  14. root — of a word
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. last — finally
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. last — to go on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. root — the cause
  22. last — final
  23. root — of a plant
  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