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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.

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: staff · squash · saw · lash · safe · rush · pit · scale

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pit — a hole
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. staff — a stick
  10. scale — in music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. staff — employees
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pit — in a race
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. saw — the tool

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