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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: fine · tear · toast · season · trunk · cap · rock · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. toast — bread
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. tear — to rip
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cue — for pool
  13. season — of the year
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. tear — from crying
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rock — music
  19. cap — a hat
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cap — of ice
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fine — all right
  24. season — in sport

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