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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · straw · spell · kick · coach · mine · mark

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stem — to come from
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mate — to breed
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spell — letters
  24. mine — belonging to me

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