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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: bank · hide · firm · snap · patient · present · cue · stem

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bank — of a river
  3. present — there
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. firm — decided
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. present — the time now
  12. cue — a hint
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. firm — steady
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — a gift
  18. stem — to come from
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — for pool

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