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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: fork · lie · key · face · calf · cue · last · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. cue — for pool
  12. face — to confront
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. fork — in a road
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. face — to point toward
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. face — part of the head

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