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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: kid · rule · key · clip · lash · can · deal · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. kid — child
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. clip — to cut
  5. root — of a word
  6. root — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — for a lock
  11. clip — a video
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rule — government
  18. key — the most important part
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. key — in music
  23. kid — to tease
  24. rule — a law

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