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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: root · fork · trunk · bulb · lash · racket · kick · mouse

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. root — of a word
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. trunk — of a car

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