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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
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: roll · lie · saw · stem · pound · wave · press · spell

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. roll — a cake
  10. spell — magic
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. spell — letters
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pound — a weight
  16. roll — a list
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. press — newspapers
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. press — to push

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