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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 116 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: bank · content · court · spring · pop · can · bear · safe

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. court — for sport
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — the season
  9. pop — music
  10. content — the amount
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. can — to be able to
  14. court — of law
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — of a king
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — soda
  20. bank — of a river
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — for money
  23. content — happy
  24. safe — a strongbox

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