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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: face · stand · present · capital · ball · key · bass · drill

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. drill — army training
  5. bass — low music
  6. capital — money
  7. face — part of the head
  8. drill — a practice
  9. stand — to bear
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. capital — a city
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. present — a gift
  19. key — in music
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ball — a great time
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. face — to confront

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