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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: file · stand · firm · patient · stick · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. firm — steady
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — a company
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. file — a tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. file — a document
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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