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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: bank · lie · cell · suit · content · rock · clip · stand

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. clip — to cut
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — the amount
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. clip — a video
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. content — happy
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. clip — for paper
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. rock — music
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. lie — to recline

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