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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: craft · bark · rash · lean · net · key · lash · root

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rash — hasty
  4. net — after costs
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. net — in sport
  11. root — of a word
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. key — the most important part
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. key — in music
  19. net — for catching
  20. rash — a series
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — to shout
  23. root — the cause
  24. bark — of a tree

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