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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mark · bowl · fan · stem · bank · leaves · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bank — of a river
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. coach — a trainer

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