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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.

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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 · wake · stock · cap · lash · suit · bear · content

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stock — shares
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — clothes
  10. content — the amount
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cap — a hat
  19. content — happy
  20. wake — a trail
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — a lid
  24. spring — of water

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