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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: club · staff · calf · dip · press · rash · leaves · safe

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — for dancing
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. dip — to sink
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. staff — employees
  22. press — to push
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. press — newspapers

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