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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: rock · kick · lash · file · bulb · stem · root · firm

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. firm — steady
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rock — music
  11. firm — a company
  12. bulb — for light
  13. root — the cause
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. firm — decided
  24. file — a line of people

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