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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: shower · press · coach · jam · bass · saw · stand · court

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stand — to bear
  3. press — newspapers
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. shower — to wash
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. press — a publisher
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — to push
  12. shower — rain
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. saw — the tool

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