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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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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: press · coach · march · toast · wave · net · fine · land

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — for catching
  3. toast — bread
  4. land — a country
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. land — to come down
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. march — the month
  12. fine — all right
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. fine — high quality
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. land — ground
  21. net — in sport
  22. march — music
  23. net — after costs
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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