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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: bat · patient · stand · tube · firm · deal · bank · bulb

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tube — a container
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bat — the animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. firm — decided
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stand — to bear
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. firm — a company
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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