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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
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: straw · lie · charge · last · press · row · stem · mate

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. row — to paddle
  4. mate — a partner
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a line
  8. last — finally
  9. mate — to breed
  10. press — to push
  11. last — final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. last — to go on
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. press — a publisher
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — in control
  20. lie — to recline
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mate — a friend
  23. press — newspapers
  24. stem — a stem cell

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