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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · leaves · court · band · toast · chair · mug · suit

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mug — to rob
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a ring
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a music group
  12. mark — a grade
  13. court — for sport
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. court — of law
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mug — a face
  20. mark — a trace
  21. chair — a leader
  22. court — of a king
  23. mug — a cup
  24. leaves — lets stay

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