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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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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: rush · pit · coach · stock · safe · calf · leaves · press

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. press — newspapers
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pit — a hole
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — goods
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. press — to push
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rush — hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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