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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: patient · stick · bank · ruler · craft · stand · game · track

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bank — for money
  4. game — wild animals
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — a match
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stand — to bear
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. track — a path
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. track — a song
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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