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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: tube · court · plane · saw · roll · leaves · staff · bank

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. court — for sport
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — of a river
  10. tube — a container
  11. roll — a list
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — the underground
  16. staff — employees
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. roll — a cake
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. saw — the tool
  23. leaves — to go away
  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