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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
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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: bear · root · fan · rock · net · ball · plane · bark

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. net — in sport
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. root — the cause
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. net — after costs
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. root — of a word
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. net — for catching
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bear — the animal

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