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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: key · press · dip · wave · pitch · rule · cabinet · content

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. content — the amount
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. press — to push
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. content — happy
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. dip — to sink
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rule — government
  24. dip — to dunk

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