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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: fine · bank · ball · roll · bay · pass · capital · drill

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — all right
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. drill — army training
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. capital — a city
  10. roll — a cake
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. capital — money
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bank — for money

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