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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: lie · current · pitch · mate · bay · chest · pound · ruler

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. current — electric
  5. chest — a box
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pound — a weight
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — a friend

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