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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.

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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: root · spell · kick · lash · chest · bulb · track · mark

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. root — of a word
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. track — a path
  9. chest — of your body
  10. kick — in football
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spell — magic
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. root — the cause
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — a song

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