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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: bat · lie · bound · mouse · mine · stock · pound · pass

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stock — goods
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bound — certain
  18. bat — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mouse — the animal

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