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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 116 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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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 · fine · calf · stem · race · lie · kid · pound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fine — high quality
  3. kid — child
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lie — to recline
  7. race — humankind
  8. kid — to tease
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. fine — all right
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — to come from
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lie — an untruth

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