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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: bass · capital · roll · wake · cabinet · squash · ball · pass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bass — low music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. squash — the sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. roll — a cake
  11. capital — money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wake — a trail
  18. roll — a list
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. capital — a city
  24. bass — the instrument

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