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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: temple · coach · straw · fall · firm · key · pass · staff

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pass — a permit
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — in music
  5. firm — decided
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. staff — a stick
  11. firm — a company
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — the most important part
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fall — the season
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fall — to drop

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