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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: mouse · last · straw · lie · suit · fine · key · rash

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rash — a series
  5. last — to go on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rash — hasty
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. fine — all right
  16. last — final
  17. key — for a lock
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. last — finally
  24. lie — an untruth

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