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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 116 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: root · firm · band · lean · field · plane · can · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. root — of a word
  3. lean — to bend
  4. hand — in cards
  5. field — farmland
  6. root — the cause
  7. firm — steady
  8. band — a ring
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — decided
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. plane — a tool
  19. field — for sport
  20. hand — help
  21. firm — a company
  22. lean — thin
  23. field — a subject
  24. plane — an aircraft

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