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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: press · face · bank · march · net · cue · coach · ruler

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. march — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — in sport
  5. cue — a signal
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. face — to point toward
  11. press — to push
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — part of the head
  14. net — for catching
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. face — to confront
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — after costs
  21. march — the month
  22. cue — a hint
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. press — newspapers

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