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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 · track · calf · suit · bank · bay · fan · date

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — to fit
  17. date — the fruit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — to keep track
  21. spring — the season
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a path
  24. fan — a supporter

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