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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: rock · wax · swing · coach · press · march · toast · game

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. toast — bread
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. press — newspapers
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. swing — in golf
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rock — a stone
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. press — to push
  13. march — music
  14. game — a match
  15. wax — to grow
  16. swing — music
  17. march — the month
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rock — music
  22. march — the month
  23. swing — to play on
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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