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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · press · ruler · fine · roll · rest · coach · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rest — what's left
  4. press — a publisher
  5. roll — a cake
  6. press — newspapers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rest — what's left
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — a break
  14. spell — magic
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. press — to push
  21. spell — letters
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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