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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 116 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: stem · file · lean · lash · key · root · bark · present

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — the cause
  4. present — a gift
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. lean — thin
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. file — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stem — to come from
  14. present — there
  15. file — a line of people
  16. key — the most important part
  17. present — the time now
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — for a lock
  20. file — a document
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bark — to shout
  24. root — of a word

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