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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: roll · net · hand · scale · fan · root · rush · stand

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. roll — a list
  9. hand — help
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stand — to bear
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. root — the cause
  16. scale — in music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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