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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: lie · rest · wake · land · bank · temple · present · pitch

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — completely
  7. land — a country
  8. present — the time now
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. present — there
  13. rest — a break
  14. land — to come down
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rest — what's left
  20. present — a gift
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bank — of a river
  23. land — ground
  24. lie — an untruth

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