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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
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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: row · clip · sharp · date · craft · key · vault · suit

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. clip — for paper
  3. row — a line
  4. suit — clothes
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. clip — a video
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a skill
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — to paddle
  13. suit — to fit
  14. craft — boats
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. sharp — clever
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. clip — to cut
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — with an edge

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