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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: spell · lean · cap · calf · fork · bear · cue · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — thin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. suit — to fit
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. suit — clothes
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — the animal

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