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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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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: kick · key · hand · clip · fine · root · bass · calf

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. kick — in football
  3. clip — a video
  4. root — the cause
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. clip — to cut
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bass — the fish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — all right
  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