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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — a tin
  3. march — the month
  4. swing — in golf
  5. snap — to click
  6. board — to get on
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. press — newspapers
  9. kick — in football
  10. march — music
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. march — the month
  18. board — a committee
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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