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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 120 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: march · rest · bear · press · mine · mouse · coach · key

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. march — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mine — for digging
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rest — a break
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. key — in music
  21. march — the month
  22. press — to push
  23. march — the month
  24. press — newspapers

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