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

Word bank: calf · press · coach · ground · toast · net

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. net — in sport
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. net — after costs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ground — a position
  7. net — for catching
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — bread
  12. ground — crushed
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. press — to push
  17. ground — the earth
  18. press — a publisher

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