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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: mug · roll · capital · present · pound · lean · lie · coach

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. roll — a list
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pound — a weight
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. present — a gift
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. roll — a cake
  11. capital — a city
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — thin
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. present — the time now
  16. mug — a face
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mug — to rob

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