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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 120 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
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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: bound · branch · field · calf · coach · charge · spell · plane

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — a division
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. field — farmland
  7. spell — a short time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. charge — a price
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — a tool
  12. field — for sport
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bound — obliged
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — letters
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. bound — certain
  21. field — a subject
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — electricity
  24. plane — in geometry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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