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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: patient · pound · stick · bank · deal · pit

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bank — for money
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bank — of a river

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