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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.

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: fall · mark · spring · stick · court · bass · bear · fine

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. spring — of water
  4. court — of a king
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spring — the season
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bass — the fish
  18. fine — all right
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spring — a coil

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