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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: hand · fan · squash · lie · arm · key · suit · spell

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — for a lock
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lie — to recline
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — a short time
  17. key — the most important part
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — in music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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