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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: toast · fine · bay · nail · object · pass · kick · present

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fine — all right
  3. present — there
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. kick — in football
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. fine — high quality
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. fine — a penalty

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