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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: spell · wind · cabinet · kick · stand · root · bay · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. root — the cause
  3. kick — in football
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lean — to bend
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wind — moving air
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a word
  22. spell — letters
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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