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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: cabinet · temple · firm · coach · press · kick

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. firm — a company
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. press — to push
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — steady
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. press — newspapers

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