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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: bank · staff · race · fine · bark · land · firm · fan

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. land — to come down
  3. land — a country
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. race — a contest
  9. firm — a company
  10. staff — employees
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. race — humankind
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fine — high quality
  19. race — the arms race
  20. firm — decided
  21. bank — of a river
  22. staff — employees
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — ground

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