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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: bass · coach · cue · march · toast · board · swing · drill

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — low music
  6. drill — the tool
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. march — music
  12. toast — bread
  13. swing — music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. drill — army training
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. swing — in golf
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. swing — to play on
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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