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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: file · bank · stem · roll · mark · rest · coach · temple

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mark — a trace
  3. roll — a list
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — a break
  6. file — a line of people
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. file — a tool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — what's left
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rest — what's left
  19. file — a document
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. temple — a place of worship

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