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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.

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: land · root · stock · kick · craft · bass · lash · can

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bass — the fish
  4. can — to be able to
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. can — a tin
  9. land — ground
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — shares
  12. craft — boats
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — goods
  16. bass — low music
  17. land — a country
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. land — to come down
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. kick — in football

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