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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: pitcher · pass · lean · object · pound · lie · stand · swing

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. swing — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — thin
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pass — a permit
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. object — an aim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — on your feet

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