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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: stick · calf · suit · spring · fan · cap · pitcher · track

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cap — a lid
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — a path
  19. spring — of water
  20. track — a song
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — the season
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pitcher — a jug

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