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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: wake · clip · bound · firm · vault · plane · court · bore

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bound — certain
  5. clip — a video
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bound — obliged
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. vault — a safe
  17. court — for sport
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. clip — for paper
  22. bound — tied together
  23. court — of law
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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