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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: present · toast · coach · press · tube · pound

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — there
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. tube — a container
  6. present — a gift
  7. press — a publisher
  8. tube — the underground
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. present — the time now
  12. press — to push
  13. toast — bread
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pound — a weight
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pound — for dogs

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