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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: firm · calf · mug · toast · coach · scale · press · field

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mug — a face
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. scale — size or range
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. field — for sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — bread
  18. field — a subject
  19. firm — a company
  20. mug — to rob
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. field — farmland

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