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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.

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: fork · fan · calf · bank · press · tube · key · spring

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. spring — the season
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fork — in a road
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tube — a container
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — to push
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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