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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: pop · toast · cap · mate · mug · vault · season · rest

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cap — a hat
  7. season — in sport
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rest — a break
  14. cap — a lid
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — a face
  19. toast — bread
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — to rob
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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