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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 116 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 · fork · pop · bound · calf · coach · field · suit

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. field — for sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. field — farmland
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fork — in a road
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bound — certain
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — a phone
  15. pop — music
  16. suit — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pop — soda
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. field — a subject

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