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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: last · cold · lie · sharp · net · bay · stand · bank

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. net — for catching
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — in sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. cold — not warm
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. net — after costs
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. last — finally
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bank — of a river
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bank — for money

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