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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · plane · craft · club · squash · ground · vault · tube

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. vault — a safe
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ground — crushed
  8. tube — the underground
  9. club — a group
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. club — for golf
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ground — the earth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. club — for dancing
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. squash — the sport
  19. craft — boats
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — a position
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of law

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