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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: temple · roll · toast · press · fork · stock · foot · spell

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. spell — letters
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. press — a publisher
  6. toast — bread
  7. spell — magic
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stock — goods
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. foot — a measure
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — shares
  24. temple — a place of worship

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