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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: face · fan · stem · coach · drill · pass · bank · trunk

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. face — to confront
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pass — a permit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. face — to point toward
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. face — part of the head
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bank — of a river
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pass — to succeed

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