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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: roll · bass · last · sharp · press · spell · wave · suit

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. spell — magic
  3. last — finally
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bass — low music
  8. last — to go on
  9. roll — a list
  10. spell — letters
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. suit — to fit
  16. spell — a short time
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. press — to push
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. suit — in cards

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