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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: charge · bore · bank · nail · field · saw · calf · roll

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bore — to tire
  5. charge — electricity
  6. field — for sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. field — farmland
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — for money
  12. bore — to drill
  13. roll — a cake
  14. field — a subject
  15. bank — of a river
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — for money
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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