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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: straw · rest · saw · rock · pass · ground · key · firm

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. key — in music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — the most important part
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — decided
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rock — a stone
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rest — a break
  17. firm — a company
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. key — for a lock
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pass — to succeed
  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