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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: spring · charge · stock · calf · fork · lie · court · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. court — for sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spring — the season
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. court — of law
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — in a road
  18. charge — a price
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — in control
  24. stock — goods

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