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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · coach · rest · fine · jam · cap · press · chair

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rest — a break
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rest — what's left
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. press — to push
  20. scale — size or range
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fine — all right
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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