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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: rash · bay · staff · kick · row · press · ruler · pitcher

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. press — to push
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rash — a series
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. staff — employees
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. staff — a stick
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. press — a publisher
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. row — a line

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