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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · object · temple · pitch · can · press · ball · lie

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. press — a publisher
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — to protest
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mine — for digging
  15. object — an aim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. press — newspapers
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. press — to push
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pitch — a sports field

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