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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: board · stem · firm · rule · bank · patient

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rule — a law
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. firm — a company
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — government
  13. board — to get on
  14. bank — for money
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. board — a flat piece

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