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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 · prune · court · press · craft · fall · safe · pitch

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. press — newspapers
  3. court — of law
  4. press — a publisher
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. court — for sport
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fall — to drop
  13. craft — boats
  14. prune — to trim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — to push
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fall — to drop
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. court — of a king
  24. craft — a skill

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