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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · rest · plane · press · fine · mouse · foot · band

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. fine — high quality
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a music group
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. band — a ring
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. press — to push
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spell — letters
  22. fine — all right
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. plane — a tool

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