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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: spell · mouse · rest · rash · press · fine · saw · last

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. last — final
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rest — a break
  7. last — finally
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rash — a series
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spell — magic
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. last — to go on
  23. fine — all right
  24. press — to push

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