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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: stem · court · plane · lash · trunk · pitch · firm · net

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. court — of a king
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. net — in sport
  14. court — for sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. net — after costs
  18. pitch — completely
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. firm — steady
  21. stem — to come from
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. court — of law

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