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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 116 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
468
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: stand · charge · track · hide · fine · cell · bank · mine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cell — a phone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fine — all right
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — to bear
  16. charge — in control
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cell — in biology
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. charge — a price

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