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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: can · press · bear · coach · race · current · court · scale

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. court — for sport
  8. press — to push
  9. can — to be able to
  10. press — newspapers
  11. race — humankind
  12. scale — in music
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. current — electric
  18. race — a contest
  19. bear — the animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. current — happening now
  22. scale — size or range
  23. race — the arms race
  24. coach — a trainer

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