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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 120 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: lean · bank · key · kick · cue · wave · fine · game

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. lean — thin
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. game — a match
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — for a lock
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bank — of a river
  23. game — wild animals
  24. cue — for pool

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