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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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Word bank
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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: suit · key · chip · saw · lash · clip · kick · temple

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — for betting
  9. clip — to cut
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — clothes
  12. kick — in football
  13. clip — for paper
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. clip — a video
  18. key — for a lock
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. key — in music

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