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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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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: board · cap · bear · row · bank · field · mate · fork

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a partner
  3. row — to paddle
  4. field — a subject
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. row — a line
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cap — a lid
  15. field — farmland
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — to get on
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cap — a hat
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. mate — to breed
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fork — in a road
  24. field — for sport

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