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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: tube · game · object · lie · temple · pound · stem · leaves

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pound — a weight
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. object — to protest
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — a thing
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. object — an aim
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. tube — in a tire

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