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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.

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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: plane · net · bass · safe · hand · deal · stem · roll

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. net — for catching
  3. hand — in cards
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bass — low music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. roll — a cake
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. deal — to handle
  17. net — after costs
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. net — in sport
  20. hand — help
  21. bass — the fish
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. roll — a list

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