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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: lie · saw · mug · band · rush · bound · pitcher · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mug — to rob
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. mug — a face
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — certain

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