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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · mark · key · kick · mug · straw · firm · toast

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mug — a face
  3. kick — in football
  4. mark — a grade
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mug — to rob
  8. firm — steady
  9. content — the amount
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — a company
  16. mark — a trace
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. content — happy
  20. firm — decided
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mug — a cup
  24. straw — a straw man

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