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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: press · cell · pass · current · temple · bass · track · capital

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. current — electric
  4. press — to push
  5. bass — the fish
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — newspapers
  8. track — a path
  9. press — a publisher
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. current — of water
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bass — low music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. capital — a city
  22. cell — a phone
  23. capital — money
  24. pass — a permit

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