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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.

Words on the sheet
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: bank · rest · lie · game · pop · patient · present · stand

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. game — a match
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — there
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pop — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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