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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: wake · press · wave · rest · roll · lean · stock · fine

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. press — to push
  3. fine — all right
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. fine — high quality
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rest — what's left
  9. roll — a cake
  10. press — newspapers
  11. lean — thin
  12. stock — goods
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stock — shares
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rest — a break

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