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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.

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: plane · court · staff · rest · bay · pop · trunk · drill

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pop — to visit
  7. court — for sport
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pop — soda
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. drill — a practice
  14. court — of a king
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. staff — employees
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. court — of law
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rest — a break
  24. drill — army training

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