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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · press · cell · bat · bass · perch · can · mug

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. press — a publisher
  8. mug — a face
  9. press — to push
  10. cell — in biology
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. mug — to rob
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. perch — the fish
  21. can — to be able to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mug — a cup

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