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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: ball · press · face · dip · cold · key · firm · chip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. key — in music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — steady
  7. face — to confront
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. key — the most important part
  13. chip — for betting
  14. key — for a lock
  15. ball — a great time
  16. firm — a company
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. press — a publisher
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cold — an illness
  22. press — to push
  23. cold — not warm
  24. firm — decided

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