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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
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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: last · stock · spell · cap · press · foot · rest · wave

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — letters
  8. rest — a break
  9. last — final
  10. press — to push
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. press — a publisher
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — newspapers
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stock — goods
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — finally
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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