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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
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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: saw · content · bear · calf · spell · spring · pit · can

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spell — a short time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. pit — in a race
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. spell — magic
  19. content — happy
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bear — the animal
  24. can — to be able to

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