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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · chest · content · stand · file · pitcher · nail · wound

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. file — a document
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. content — the amount
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. chest — a box
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. file — a tool
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wound — an injury
  23. content — happy
  24. file — a line of people

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