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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: staff · key · cabinet · temple · bass · cap · object · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cap — of ice
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. key — for a lock
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a dance
  7. object — to protest
  8. bass — low music
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — a stick
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bass — the fish
  16. staff — employees
  17. object — a thing
  18. key — in music
  19. staff — employees
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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