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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: object · pop · straw · craft · last · track · firm · toast

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. firm — steady
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. firm — a company
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. last — to go on
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. track — a song
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. last — final
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — to keep track
  17. object — a thing
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. object — to protest
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — a skill
  22. object — an aim
  23. craft — boats
  24. last — finally

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