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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: fall · spring · hide · deal · calf · bear · cue · hand

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. hand — in cards
  3. fall — to drop
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bear — the animal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fall — the season
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. hand — help
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. spring — the season
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. calf — a young 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