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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: press · spell · temple · lie · mug · deal

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. deal — to handle
  4. spell — letters
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — a short time
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mug — to rob
  12. press — to push
  13. mug — a face
  14. spell — magic
  15. press — newspapers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — a big deal

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