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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: lie · pound · stand · deal · stick · march

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lie — to recline
  5. march — the month
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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