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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: lie · stick · date · key · ruler · scale · suit · last

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — for a lock
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. scale — size or range
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. scale — in music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. key — the most important part
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — in cards
  21. last — finally
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — in music

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