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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.

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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: pound · mug · hand · lash · stand · pass · arm · file

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  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 — to spend time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. file — a tool
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hand — in cards
  10. mug — to rob
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mug — a cup
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mug — a face
  17. file — a line of people
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. file — a document
  22. hand — help
  23. stand — on your feet
  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