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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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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: pound · spell · pop · press · dip · stick · temple · firm

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. press — a publisher
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pop — music
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. dip — to sink
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — to push
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. firm — a company
  20. spell — letters
  21. press — newspapers
  22. spell — a short time
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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