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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: wake · rest · cap · key · bass · fine · temple · cabinet

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. key — for a lock
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. key — in music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rest — a break
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — all right
  12. key — the most important part
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bass — low music
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — of ice
  24. wake — before a funeral

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