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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 · date · lie · last · ball · lash · key · nail

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ball — a great time
  5. last — final
  6. ball — a dance
  7. date — the fruit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. key — in music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. last — to go on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — finally
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. suit — to fit
  24. date — on the calendar

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