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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: court · straw · mug · mark · bank · season · leaves · rock

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — a trace
  4. season — of the year
  5. court — for sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bank — for money
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. court — of a king
  10. mug — a cup
  11. court — of law
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rock — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bank — for money
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. season — in sport

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