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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 · degree · mouse · sharp · key · toast · vault

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. degree — from a university
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. key — in music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. degree — temperature
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. degree — an amount
  18. vault — a safe
  19. suit — to fit
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. key — for a lock
  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