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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: trunk · plane · can · leaves · ground · ball · object · court

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. object — to protest
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. object — a thing
  13. ground — a position
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. object — an aim
  17. ball — a dance
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. court — for sport
  21. ground — crushed
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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