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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: cue · rock · lie · present · mate · pound · straw · firm

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — steady
  6. present — there
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — a company
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — to recline
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. present — a gift
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mate — a partner
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cue — for pool
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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