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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.

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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 · bulb · stand · coach · wave · court · rock · rush

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. court — of a king
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. press — a publisher
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rock — music
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — for sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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