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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: chip · bank · fine · land · rock · patient · firm · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kid — child
  5. land — ground
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chip — for betting
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. land — to come down
  10. firm — a company
  11. bank — of a river
  12. firm — steady
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — music
  15. land — a country
  16. firm — decided
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — all right
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fine — high quality

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