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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — steady
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. firm — a company
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bear — the animal
  14. object — a thing
  15. firm — decided
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. lie — to recline
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. patient — a sick person

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