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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 120 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.

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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: spring · bark · bank · arm · coach · suit · can · bear

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. can — a tin
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spring — of water
  11. bark — to shout
  12. spring — a coil
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — to fit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spring — the season
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. coach — a trainer
  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