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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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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: safe · pitcher · mate · rash · coach · swing · squash · press

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mate — a partner
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rash — a series
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rash — hasty
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. squash — the sport
  14. swing — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. press — a publisher
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. swing — to play on
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mate — to breed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. squash — to crush

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