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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: mine · coach · spell · firm · bound · calf · saw · bore

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bound — tied together
  3. firm — decided
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. spell — magic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. mine — for digging
  24. saw — the tool

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