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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: hand · staff · net · fall · kick · root · plane · fine

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hand — help
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fall — the season
  7. root — of a plant
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fall — to drop
  12. staff — a stick
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — for catching
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — high quality
  18. root — of a word
  19. fall — to drop
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — all right
  24. staff — employees

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