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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: chest · stand · charge · bank · object · hide · lie · pitch

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — a price
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. object — an aim
  14. chest — of your body
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — completely
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chest — a box
  22. bank — for money
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. charge — in control

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