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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: cell · bank · rock · pound · stand · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rock — music
  18. cell — a phone

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