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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: wake · date · fine · bank · bear · arm · row · wind

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. row — to paddle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. wind — moving air
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fine — high quality
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bear — the animal
  15. row — a line
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — of a river
  23. date — the fruit
  24. fine — a penalty

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