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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.

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: charge · firm · arm · mine · lie · bank · rock · hide

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. charge — electricity
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — a price
  20. firm — steady
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lie — to recline
  23. charge — in control
  24. lie — an untruth

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