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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.

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: spell · net · root · court · spring · staff · board · plane

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. court — of law
  3. spring — of water
  4. court — of a king
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. staff — employees
  10. court — for sport
  11. spring — the season
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — a coil
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — a short time

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