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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 · suit · spell · mouse · file · bank · key · last

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bank — for money
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. file — a tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — to recline
  11. last — finally
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — to fit
  14. key — in music
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — final
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. last — to go on
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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