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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: coach · pit · stem · club · mark · bank · spring · firm

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spring — a coil
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. firm — a company
  5. spring — the season
  6. club — for golf
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — for money
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spring — of water
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. club — a group
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. firm — decided
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bank — for money
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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