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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 120 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: saw · press · fall · perch · spell · stem · last · lean

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — thin
  4. fall — the season
  5. last — to go on
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. perch — the fish
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stem — to come from
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. spell — a short time
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lean — to bend
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. saw — the tool
  22. last — finally
  23. spell — letters
  24. last — final

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