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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
468
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: plane · stick · wave · press · bass · spell · stem · last

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. last — finally
  3. bass — the fish
  4. spell — letters
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stem — to come from
  13. last — final
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bass — low music
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. press — to push
  19. last — to go on
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. plane — in geometry

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