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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 116 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: bank · craft · perch · pound · firm · ground · patient · stand

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ground — the earth
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stand — to bear
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — for money
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ground — a position
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. firm — a company
  18. bank — for money
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. firm — steady
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — decided
  23. ground — crushed
  24. craft — a skill

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