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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.

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: land · vault · court · game · squash · hide · plane · wound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wound — an injury
  5. squash — to crush
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. land — ground
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. squash — the sport
  15. land — to come down
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. land — a country
  18. court — for sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. court — of law
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. court — of a king

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