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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: bank · suit · season · nail · mug · bear · field · lie

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. field — a subject
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. field — for sport
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. field — farmland
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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