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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: mate · temple · deal · hand · firm · charge · lash · stem

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mate — a friend
  3. firm — a company
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mate — to breed
  10. charge — in control
  11. deal — to handle
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stem — to come from
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. firm — steady
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — decided
  22. hand — help
  23. charge — a price
  24. lash — to lash out

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