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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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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: bank · calf · tear · toast · key · lash · nail · root

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — from crying
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tear — from crying
  17. toast — bread
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. root — of a word
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. root — the cause
  24. key — in music

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