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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: lash · wax · court · pitcher · squash · plane · press · vault

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. press — to push
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. squash — the sport
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wax — to grow
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — to crush
  16. court — for sport
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. press — a publisher
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. court — of a king
  24. vault — a safe

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