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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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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: file · stand · firm · patient · stick · bank · lean · deal

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — thin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. file — a document
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bank — of a river
  8. firm — steady
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. file — a tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bank — for money
  16. file — a line of people
  17. firm — decided
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. firm — a company
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bank — for money

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