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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: calf · fall · tube · rule · bark · season · rock · jam

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bark — to shout
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. season — in sport
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rock — music
  13. season — of the year
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rule — government
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fall — to drop
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. fall — the season
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fall — to drop

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