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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: cell · root · bound · calf · rush · coach · bass · wound

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. root — the cause
  3. wound — an injury
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. root — of a word
  14. bound — certain
  15. bass — low music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cell — a phone
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. coach — a trainer

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