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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 · hide · bark · lean · stand · firm · march · bank

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. lean — thin
  6. firm — a company
  7. march — music
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stand — to bear
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lean — to bend
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — steady
  19. bank — of a river
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. firm — decided
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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