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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: track · toast · key · spell · lash · bank · kick · march

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. track — a path
  5. spell — magic
  6. key — the most important part
  7. track — a song
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — for money
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bank — of a river
  12. key — for a lock
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. key — in music
  15. kick — in football
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. toast — bread
  23. march — the month
  24. spell — letters

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