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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 116 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: wound · hide · straw · mug · staff · band · pass · bound

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. band — a ring
  5. staff — a stick
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. staff — employees
  22. bound — certain
  23. wound — an injury
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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