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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: suit · stem · pitch · fine · bass · saw · coach · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fine — all right
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — low music
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitch — completely
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stem — to come from

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