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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
468
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: lean · root · key · drill · mug · cabinet · kick · band

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. kick — in football
  4. band — a music group
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lean — thin
  7. drill — army training
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mug — a face
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. root — of a word
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — the cause
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. key — in music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. band — a ring

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