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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: calf · fork · spring · band · race · board · tube · coach

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — the season
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. band — a ring
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. race — a contest
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. race — the arms race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — to get on
  18. band — a music group
  19. spring — a coil
  20. tube — a container
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a committee
  24. race — humankind

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