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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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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: file · row · wind · pass · coach · toast · press · deal

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wind — moving air
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. pass — a permit
  10. file — a document
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. deal — to handle
  15. file — a line of people
  16. press — to push
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. file — a tool
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. toast — bread
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. toast — the most admired

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