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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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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: cell · lean · pitch · press · bay · coach · dip · deal

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lean — thin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — to push
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. dip — to sink
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitch — completely

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