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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · bear · lie · deal · wake · row · fine · field

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — farmland
  6. row — to paddle
  7. field — for sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bank — for money
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. row — a line
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. deal — to handle

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