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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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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: object · spell · cell · stand · swing · press · lean · temple

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. object — an aim
  5. press — to push
  6. spell — a short time
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spell — magic
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. object — to protest
  13. spell — letters
  14. object — a thing
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cell — a phone
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — music
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. press — a publisher

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