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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · foot · rash · mug · bass · court · bear · chair

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. court — of a king
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mug — a face
  6. court — of law
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bass — the fish
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. rash — hasty
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. chair — a leader
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. bear — the animal
  23. court — for sport
  24. bass — the instrument

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