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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: spring · clip · mate · perch · bear · suit · object · stick

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. object — an aim
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. clip — to cut
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — a thing
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bear — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. object — to protest
  22. clip — a video
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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