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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: coach · charge · calf · root · stand · saw · branch · row

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. stand — to bear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. row — a line
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. root — the cause
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. charge — a price
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. branch — a division
  17. row — to paddle
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — in control
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — of a word
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — electricity

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