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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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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: cabinet · snap · root · kick · row · calf · present · lie

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. present — the time now
  5. snap — to click
  6. present — there
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. row — a line
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — a gift
  19. row — to paddle
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lie — to recline

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