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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: last · fall · safe · staff · press · season · chair · ruler

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. chair — a leader
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. staff — employees
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — in sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. staff — a stick
  14. fall — to drop
  15. press — newspapers
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — to go on
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. last — final

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