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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: stem · band · date · nail · coach · mark · mate · toast

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mate — a partner
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mark — a trace
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. band — a ring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — a friend
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. toast — bread
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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