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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: bear · firm · lie · hand · bank · tear · dip · key

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. key — in music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bank — of a river
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — from crying
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — to recline
  14. firm — decided
  15. tear — to rip
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — a company
  18. bear — the animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. firm — steady
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hand — part of the body

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