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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 120 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
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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: net · plane · chair · stem · kick · court · firm · land

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chair — a leader
  4. net — for catching
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. net — in sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. land — a country
  9. kick — in football
  10. land — ground
  11. plane — a tool
  12. land — to come down
  13. stem — to come from
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. court — of law
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. court — for sport
  21. firm — steady
  22. court — of a king
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. net — after costs

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