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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bank · mate · patient · calf · spring · craft · jam · mine

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. spring — of water
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. spring — the season
  6. mine — for digging
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. spring — a coil
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — a friend
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bank — of a river
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — a skill

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