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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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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: suit · calf · club · tube · bear · staff · fall · pit

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. tube — the underground
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tube — a container
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. staff — employees
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. suit — clothes
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — a hole

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