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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: firm · staff · stem · bass · safe · pitcher · season · lash

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. firm — a company
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. firm — steady
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. firm — decided
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. safe — a strongbox

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