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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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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: wave · leaves · bank · cell · field · coach · stem · mark

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. field — farmland
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cell — a phone
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. field — for sport
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. field — a subject
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stem — of a plant

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