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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · spell · fall · nail · suit · date · bank · straw

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fall — to drop
  6. spell — magic
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spell — letters
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — clothes
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bank — for money
  20. spell — a short time
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bank — of a river

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