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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 112 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: lean · stick · mouse · chip · pound · bass · lie · craft

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lean — thin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bass — low music
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. lie — an untruth

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