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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: chair · toast · suit · firm · last · cabinet · pound · ground

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. last — finally
  4. pound — a weight
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. last — final
  7. ground — a position
  8. firm — a company
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. toast — bread
  12. suit — in cards
  13. ground — crushed
  14. last — to go on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. firm — decided
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. firm — steady
  23. ground — the earth
  24. chair — a professorship

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