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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · chip · lash · can · land · staff · key · snap

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. key — in music
  3. can — a tin
  4. staff — a stick
  5. can — a tin
  6. land — a country
  7. key — for a lock
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to point toward
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. land — ground
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. staff — employees
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chip — for betting
  20. snap — to click
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chip — to eat
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — to confront

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