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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: mark · straw · net · bank · court · charge · ball · fine

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. net — for catching
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — electricity
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. net — in sport
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — of a river
  12. court — of a king
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. charge — a price
  16. court — for sport
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. court — of law
  19. ball — a dance
  20. net — after costs
  21. bank — for money
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fine — all right

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