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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: firm · clip · bear · spring · can · coach · jam · nail

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. firm — a company
  4. clip — for paper
  5. firm — steady
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. clip — to cut
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. spring — a coil
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — decided
  13. can — to be able to
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. clip — a video
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spring — of water

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