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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: court · leaves · coach · land · mark · calf · rock · chip

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. land — a country
  3. rock — a stone
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. court — for sport
  6. chip — for betting
  7. court — of a king
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. court — of law
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — music
  20. land — to come down
  21. mark — a grade
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. land — ground
  24. coach — a trainer

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