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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 116 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: stem · mate · drill · snap · lean · pass · coach · saw

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lean — to bend
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. drill — a practice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lean — thin
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stem — to come from
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to click
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. drill — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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