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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: lie · game · spell · lash · kick · sharp · can · root

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. spell — a short time
  4. root — of a word
  5. spell — letters
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — to recline
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. can — a tin
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spell — magic
  24. lie — an untruth

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