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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: prune · toast · swing · current · march · coach · bulb · press

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. march — the month
  3. current — happening now
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bulb — for light
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. swing — music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. current — electric
  18. march — the month
  19. current — of water
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. march — music
  23. toast — bread
  24. prune — to trim

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