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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 120 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: chip · perch · patient · bank · cue · stand · lean · stick

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — the fish
  10. lean — thin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bank — for money
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stand — for spectators
  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