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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: lie · fan · track · capital · cabinet · vault · rash · bass

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bass — low music
  7. capital — a city
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rash — a series
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. track — a song

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