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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: bay · root · bank · swing · bear · lash · key · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. root — of a plant
  4. swing — in golf
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. swing — music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. key — in music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — in football
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a word

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