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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: cabinet · dip · press · temple · wind · roll · pitch · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wind — moving air
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — to push
  16. roll — a list
  17. fine — all right
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — a cake
  24. dip — to sink

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