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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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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: safe · lie · fork · stock · field · wake · deal · lash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stock — shares
  7. field — farmland
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stock — goods
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — for sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. deal — to handle
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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