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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: jam · scale · net · root · cell · stand · lash · plane

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. scale — size or range
  4. net — in sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — in music
  7. cell — in biology
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. plane — a tool
  11. root — the cause
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. cell — a phone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. net — after costs
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. net — for catching
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. scale — for weighing

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