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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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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: board · chest · object · lie · pound · bank · wind · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — a committee
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wind — moving air
  8. object — to protest
  9. chest — a box
  10. bank — for money
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pound — a weight
  15. chest — of your body
  16. board — to get on
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. object — a thing
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — an aim

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