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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: court · hide · plane · wake · board · net · face · bay

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. court — of law
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. face — to confront
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. court — of a king
  21. net — in sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. court — for sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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