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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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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: kick · leaves · trunk · stand · cue · pound · court · bank

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. court — of a king
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cue — a hint
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — for pool
  12. court — of law
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. cue — a signal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. court — for sport
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — in football
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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