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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: stock · rash · press · spell · band · ball · safe · toast

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. press — newspapers
  3. spell — letters
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — bread
  11. band — a ring
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rash — hasty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — shares
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. press — to push
  20. rash — a series
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — on the skin

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