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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: charge · row · wound · perch · lie · rash · hand · bank

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — a series
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hand — in cards
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. row — to paddle
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bank — for money
  15. row — a line
  16. charge — in control
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — for money
  19. wound — an injury
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hand — help

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