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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 · hand · bay · deal · stick · kick · snap · club

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. root — of a plant
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. root — of a word
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. club — a group
  14. deal — to handle
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. club — for golf
  20. kick — in football
  21. hand — help
  22. root — the cause
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. deal — a big deal

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