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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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 · lie · cue · march · staff · pitcher · trunk · press

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. staff — employees
  13. march — the month
  14. press — to push
  15. march — music
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — the month
  18. press — a publisher
  19. staff — employees
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rash — a series
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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