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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 120 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
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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: press · firm · staff · season · lie · cell · wax · mark

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lie — to recline
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. season — in sport
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. season — of the year
  13. mark — a trace
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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