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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: key · spell · drill · kick · chip · pound · vault · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. drill — army training
  5. kick — in football
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. spell — letters
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — for a lock
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. drill — the tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. key — in music
  20. spell — magic
  21. pound — a weight
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — in a computer
  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