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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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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: rash · pitcher · staff · season · press · safe · mark · fall

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rash — a series
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a grade
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. season — in sport
  7. fall — the season
  8. mark — a trace
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. staff — employees
  18. press — to push
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rash — on the skin

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