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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
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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: temple · toast · bass · ball · capital · wind · tube · drill

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — bread
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. tube — the underground
  8. capital — money
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bass — low music
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bass — the fish
  14. tube — a container
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ball — a dance
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ball — a great time
  22. drill — army training
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. capital — a city

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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