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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · root · hand · fall · racket · coach · bowl · bound

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — a tool
  3. hand — in cards
  4. fall — the season
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. root — of a word
  12. bound — obliged
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hand — help
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. root — the cause
  22. bound — certain
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — to drop

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