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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 120 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
468
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: pass · leaves · hand · row · lie · deal · stem · temple

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — to come from
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hand — in cards
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hand — help
  18. row — a line
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. deal — a big deal

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