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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: game · calf · mark · fan · court · plane · jam · wound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — an injury
  12. game — a match
  13. court — of a king
  14. wound — an injury
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. court — of law
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mark — a trace
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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