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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.

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: leaves · wake · march · pound · pass · lie · arm · stock

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pass — a permit
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. march — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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