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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.

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: lie · pass · row · tear · wake · calf · rash · season

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. season — in sport
  3. row — a line
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tear — to rip
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — a series
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. row — to paddle
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. season — of the year
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tear — from crying

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