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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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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: toast · mine · key · mark · suit · cap · vault · perch

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — the most important part
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. toast — bread
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mine — for digging
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cap — of ice
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cap — a hat
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — to fit

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