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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: roll · key · snap · firm · bay · kick · trunk · present

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. roll — a cake
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. kick — in football
  6. firm — a company
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. present — a gift
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — steady
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to click
  18. key — in music
  19. roll — a list
  20. key — for a lock
  21. present — there
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. present — the time now
  24. trunk — of a tree

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