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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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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: present · object · pound · band · bank · bore · stand · chair

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — a weight
  6. present — there
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bore — to drill
  10. present — a gift
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. object — an aim
  14. bank — for money
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. band — a ring
  19. object — a thing
  20. stand — to bear
  21. present — the time now
  22. band — a music group
  23. object — to protest
  24. bore — gave birth

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