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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: pop · tube · fine · ruler · calf · march · fork · spring

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. march — the month
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pop — music
  9. march — the month
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. spring — the season
  13. march — music
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pop — to visit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pop — soda
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fine — all right
  24. spring — of water

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