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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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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: mate · stem · lash · field · bank · suit · chair · present

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. present — there
  6. field — farmland
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. present — the time now
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mate — a friend
  15. stem — to come from
  16. chair — a leader
  17. suit — in cards
  18. field — for sport
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. field — a subject
  21. bank — for money
  22. mate — a partner
  23. present — a gift
  24. bank — of a river

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