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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: cue · fine · lash · face · key · chip · vault · kick

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. face — to point toward
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cue — for pool
  6. kick — in football
  7. cue — a signal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chip — for betting
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cue — a hint
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. chip — to eat
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. key — for a lock
  21. face — to confront
  22. fine — high quality
  23. key — in music
  24. fine — all right

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