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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: bank · lash · suit · dip · last · mate · band · stem

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. suit — in cards
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. band — a ring
  5. mate — a friend
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stem — to come from
  15. band — a music group
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bank — for money
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — to fit

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