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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: chest · firm · fine · object · key · toast · mark · mug

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mug — a face
  5. firm — steady
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mark — a grade
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mug — to rob
  11. chest — of your body
  12. key — in music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. object — an aim
  19. fine — all right
  20. key — the most important part
  21. toast — bread
  22. chest — a box
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. object — to protest

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