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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: nail · plane · wind · safe · wound · game · court · object

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. game — wild animals
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wind — moving air
  7. game — a match
  8. court — of law
  9. object — an aim
  10. wound — an injury
  11. court — for sport
  12. object — a thing
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — a tool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wind — moving air
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. court — of a king
  24. object — to protest

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