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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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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: bank · charge · last · stand · saw · roll · court · content

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. content — happy
  3. roll — a list
  4. charge — a price
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. last — final
  11. bank — of a river
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. court — of a king
  15. stand — to bear
  16. last — finally
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — the amount
  19. charge — electricity
  20. roll — a cake
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — for money
  23. saw — the tool
  24. last — to go on

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