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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.

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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: stick · deal · lean · pass · plane · stem · charge · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stem — to come from
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — electricity
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lean — thin
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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