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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 · mouse · club · nail · present · stick · season · lie

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. season — in sport
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — a group
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. present — there
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. present — a gift
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — the time now
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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