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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: fan · key · firm · foot · straw · trunk · hide · pound

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — decided
  5. foot — a measure
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. key — for a lock
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — in music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. firm — a company
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pound — a weight

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