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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: object · stick · stand · trunk · rest · bank · toast · firm

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. toast — bread
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — a company
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bank — for money
  16. object — a thing
  17. stand — to bear
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bank — for money

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