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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 116 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: rest · patient · safe · bank · stand · cap · bound · row

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. cap — of ice
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. row — to paddle
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. row — a line
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stand — for spectators
  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