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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: hand · pound · stand · pass · fine · bank · lean · wave

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. fine — all right
  4. bank — of a river
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lean — thin
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bank — for money
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pass — a permit

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