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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: wake · trunk · press · rush · board · safe · kick · court

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. court — of law
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. press — to push
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. court — for sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. board — to get on
  13. rush — hurry
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. press — a publisher
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. court — of a king
  24. trunk — of a car

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