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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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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: staff · toast · rest · craft · stand · shower · press · pitch

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. shower — rain
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. press — to push
  6. rest — what's left
  7. craft — a skill
  8. toast — bread
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — a break
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitch — completely
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. shower — to wash
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. staff — employees
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. craft — a handicraft

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