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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: lean · fine · root · bay · kick · present · club · track

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. present — the time now
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. present — a gift
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. track — a path
  10. kick — in football
  11. track — a song
  12. club — for golf
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. root — the cause
  17. club — a group
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. present — there
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. club — for dancing

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