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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
468
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: rule · pass · cabinet · dip · track · bass · arm · drill

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rule — government
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rule — a law
  16. drill — army training
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. drill — a practice

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