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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: nail · trunk · lash · root · key · kid · rash · vault

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. root — of a plant
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. key — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. root — of a word
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. kid — to tease
  13. key — the most important part
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. root — the cause
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. key — for a lock
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lash — to lash out

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