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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: face · vault · ruler · court · craft · plane

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of law
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. court — for sport
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. court — of a king
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a handicraft

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