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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: ball · field · patient · bank · firm · deal · stick · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. deal — to handle
  3. firm — a company
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — all right
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. field — a subject
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. field — for sport
  20. bank — for money
  21. field — farmland
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bank — for money
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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