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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: lie · cap · bear · court · spring · calf · key · coach

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — for a lock
  3. court — of a king
  4. cap — a lid
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. spring — the season
  11. cap — of ice
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. key — in music
  14. court — of law
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — to recline
  20. cap — a hat
  21. spring — of water
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. court — for sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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