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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 120 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: pound · ground · racket · can · key · firm · straw · object

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. firm — steady
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — to protest
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. key — for a lock
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. key — in music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. firm — a company
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ground — a position
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ground — crushed
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pound — a weight
  22. firm — decided
  23. key — the most important part
  24. object — a thing

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