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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: wake · dip · swing · plane · court · ball · saw · face

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. plane — a tool
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. swing — in golf
  12. face — to confront
  13. court — of a king
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — for sport
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — of law
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. saw — the tool

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