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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.

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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 · track · trunk · content · stick · court · firm · bowl

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. court — for sport
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. content — happy
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a song
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. court — of law
  17. content — the amount
  18. court — of a king
  19. firm — decided
  20. plane — a tool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. track — a path

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