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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · bass · capital · rock · roll · mouse · dip · object

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. object — a thing
  12. rock — music
  13. kick — in football
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — to protest
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bass — the fish
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rock — a stone
  24. object — an aim

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