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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 116 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: last · rash · cap · spell · degree · root · press · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cap — of ice
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. spell — magic
  8. press — newspapers
  9. root — the cause
  10. last — finally
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. press — to push
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. last — to go on
  16. rash — a series
  17. degree — from a university
  18. root — of a word
  19. spell — a short time
  20. root — of a plant
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rash — hasty
  23. last — final
  24. spell — letters

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