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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: jam · bank · wake · coach · cabinet · board · court · stand

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bank — of a river
  3. court — for sport
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — a committee
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wake — a trail
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. court — of a king
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — before a funeral

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