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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: toast · coach · deal · file · fork · shower · staff · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. file — a document
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. staff — employees
  10. march — music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. deal — to handle
  14. fork — in a road
  15. staff — employees
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. march — the month
  19. shower — to wash
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — bread
  22. shower — rain
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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