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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.

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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: bass · arm · patient · press · cell · deal · temple · roll

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. 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. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. press — a publisher
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. roll — a cake
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — the fish
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bass — low music
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. press — to push
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — to handle
  24. 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