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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: firm · mine · press · mug · cell · rest · cap · pass

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mug — a face
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — decided
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rest — a break
  11. cap — a lid
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cell — a phone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. mug — to rob
  18. firm — steady
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. press — to push
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mine — belonging to me

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