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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: bark · cap · mug · key · rest · march · cue · season

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rest — a break
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. march — music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mug — a face
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. march — the month
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cue — a hint
  19. season — in sport
  20. march — the month
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cue — for pool
  24. key — for a lock

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