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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 120 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: dip · press · field · lean · temple · net · fine · march

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. dip — to sink
  3. field — for sport
  4. press — newspapers
  5. net — in sport
  6. march — music
  7. field — a subject
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. net — for catching
  11. march — the month
  12. press — to push
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. field — farmland
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. march — the month
  20. net — after costs
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fine — all right
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to rest against

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