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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 116 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: rash · drill · bay · tube · bass · capital · lie · cabinet

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rash — hasty
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. capital — money
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rash — a series
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — army training
  19. tube — a container
  20. capital — a city
  21. drill — a practice
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rash — on the skin

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