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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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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: kick · rest · toast · pound · bass · object · firm · key

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rest — a break
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — decided
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — an aim
  9. key — in music
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. key — for a lock
  13. object — a thing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. firm — steady
  17. key — the most important part
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bass — low music
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — a company
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. toast — bread
  24. bass — the fish

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