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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: track · root · chip · wave · spring · kick · bowl · lash

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. track — a song
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. spring — the season
  7. root — of a word
  8. track — a path
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. spring — of water
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. kick — in football
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bowl — to roll

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