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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: row · roll · straw · hide · pitcher · stem · pass · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. row — a line
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. roll — a list
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. row — to paddle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitcher — a jug

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