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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 120 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: court · spring · dip · cabinet · racket · bear · leaves · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — the season
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. court — of law
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. court — for sport
  17. spring — of water
  18. court — of a king
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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