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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: rest · roll · suit · fine · deal · spell · cap · saw

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. roll — a list
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fine — high quality
  6. saw — the tool
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. rest — what's left
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rest — what's left
  23. spell — letters
  24. cap — a hat

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