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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: tube · firm · key · roll · spring · can · bear · temple

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. roll — a list
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — in music
  5. spring — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. can — a tin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — a company
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. firm — steady
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — a cake
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spring — of water
  21. can — a tin
  22. key — the most important part
  23. firm — decided
  24. tube — a container

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