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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: hide · spring · plane · bulb · court · foot · snap · ball

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. plane — a tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. foot — a measure
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of a king
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spring — of water
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. spring — the season
  24. ball — a dance

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