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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 120 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: lie · charge · race · swing · bank · hide

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. race — humankind
  15. swing — music
  16. race — a contest
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — electricity

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