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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: lean · drill · chair · ball · cap · bass · root · cabinet

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. root — the cause
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lean — thin
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chair — a leader
  11. drill — army training
  12. root — of a plant
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. cap — of ice
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a word
  22. lean — to bend
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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