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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 · tube · jam · mate · stick · spring · calf · bank

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. spring — a coil
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — the underground
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — a container
  17. mate — a friend
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bank — of a river
  21. spring — the season
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bank — for money
  24. bear — the animal

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