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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
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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: hand · pass · lie · safe · game · press · pound · shower

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hand — in cards
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pound — a weight
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hand — help
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — to push
  17. shower — to wash
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pass — a permit
  24. shower — rain

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