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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: plane · cue · lean · court · net · cabinet · root · kick

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. lean — thin
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. lean — to bend
  8. court — of a king
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. net — after costs
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. court — for sport
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cue — a hint
  16. kick — in football
  17. net — for catching
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. net — in sport
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. root — of a word
  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