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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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468
Word bank
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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 · dip · game · chair · stand · mug · bank

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mug — a cup
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — a match
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mug — to rob
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bank — for money
  18. mug — a face
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chair — a leader
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. dip — to sink

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