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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: coach · sharp · firm · stick · club · pound · lie · roll

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. firm — steady
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. club — a group
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. club — for dancing
  7. lie — to recline
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. firm — a company
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — decided
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. club — for golf
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. roll — a list
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pound — a weight
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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