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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: bank · bound · fall · lie · last · rock · stand · leaves

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bank — for money
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bound — certain
  5. bank — of a river
  6. last — final
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — to recline
  15. last — to go on
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fall — the season
  24. stand — to bear

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