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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: season · date · rush · lie · wind · pound · staff · straw

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rush — hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. season — in sport
  10. date — the fruit
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wind — moving air
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — employees
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pound — a weight

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