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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: wave · club · plane · court · trunk · roll · suit · chair

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. club — for dancing
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. court — for sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. club — for golf
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. club — a group
  14. court — of law
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chair — a leader
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — a tool

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