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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 · deal · kick · court · land · stand · squash · spell

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. spell — magic
  10. land — a country
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stand — to bear
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. court — of a king
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spell — letters
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. land — ground
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. land — to come down

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