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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 120 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: stick · pass · mug · lie · cabinet · mate · pound · wind

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mug — a face
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mug — to rob
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pound — to hit hard

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