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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: mate · lie · hand · mine · staff · lean · stand · pass

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. staff — employees
  11. mine — for digging
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hand — help
  20. staff — a stick
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mate — a partner

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