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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: pitch · face · temple · perch · dip · firm · arm · stand

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — decided
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pitch — completely
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. firm — a company
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. face — part of the head
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. temple — a place of worship

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