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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 116 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: spell · bear · net · vault · pitch · calf · band · stem

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. net — after costs
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. spell — magic
  8. band — a music group
  9. spell — a short time
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bear — the animal
  15. band — a ring
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. net — for catching
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. net — in sport
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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