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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: land · lie · game · key · pound · suit · ball · stand

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. game — wild animals
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — in cards
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — clothes
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a round shape

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