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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · pound · scale · mate · hand · pass · clip · lie

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mate — a friend
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mate — to breed
  7. tube — a container
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tube — the underground
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lie — to recline
  13. hand — help
  14. clip — a video
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pound — a weight
  18. scale — in music
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hand — in cards
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pass — to succeed

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