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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 120 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 · track · fan · stem · bass · racket · band · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stem — to come from
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. band — a ring
  6. bass — low music
  7. track — a song
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bass — the fish
  18. track — a path
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a music group
  24. fan — to cool the air

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