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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 116 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: cabinet · clip · mate · suit · key · vault · mark · mug

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — a trace
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mug — to rob
  11. clip — for paper
  12. key — in music
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mate — to breed
  16. clip — to cut
  17. mug — a face
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — in cards
  20. clip — a video
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cabinet — ministers

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