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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: bear · mate · jam · fall · sharp · calf · spring · racket

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spring — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mate — a partner
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bear — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. spring — of water
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. fall — the season
  24. mate — a friend

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