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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: coach · march · band · press · current · mug · branch · stock

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mug — a face
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mug — to rob
  5. band — a ring
  6. mug — a cup
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. branch — a division
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. press — to push
  17. march — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — happening now
  20. stock — shares
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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