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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 · roll · mate · stem · suit · bat · toast · bass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bass — low music
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. toast — bread
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. roll — a list
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bass — the fish
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stem — to come from

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