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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · tear · toast · coach · board · deal · march · press

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. board — a committee
  5. press — newspapers
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. can — to be able to
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. press — to push
  10. march — music
  11. tear — from crying
  12. press — a publisher
  13. toast — bread
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. can — a tin
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. march — the month
  22. can — a tin
  23. march — the month
  24. deal — to handle

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