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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: cap · file · cell · firm · band · ball · temple · press

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cell — in biology
  5. band — a ring
  6. file — a line of people
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. file — a document
  14. press — a publisher
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. band — a music group
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. press — to push
  22. firm — steady
  23. cell — a phone
  24. file — a tool

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