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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: mark · bound · firm · rest · coach · fine · staff · toast

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. staff — a stick
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — obliged
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. toast — bread
  12. fine — all right
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mark — a trace
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — steady
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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