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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
468
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: hide · march · coach · rest · suit · bass · toast · jam

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — bread
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rest — what's left
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rest — a break
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. march — the month
  24. rest — what's left

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