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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: drill · stick · last · firm · toast · deal · mouse · bound

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — certain
  3. toast — bread
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. firm — decided
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — steady
  10. last — final
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. firm — a company
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bound — tied together
  20. drill — army training
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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