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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: mark · leaves · mine · sharp · stick · lie · pound · arm

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mine — for digging
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pound — a weight
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mark — a grade
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. 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