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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: arm · press · pitch · lie · cabinet · dip · pop · object

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pop — music
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. object — an aim
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. press — to push
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. object — to protest
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitch — completely
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. object — a thing
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pop — soda

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