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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: spell · key · cap · rush · racket · rash · rest · last

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. last — final
  3. rest — what's left
  4. last — finally
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cap — a lid
  7. key — the most important part
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — a series
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. spell — magic
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — a hat
  16. key — in music
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rest — a break
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spell — letters
  21. last — to go on
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cap — of ice

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