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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: band · pitch · press · plane · wax · stock · kid · file

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. file — a document
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. press — newspapers
  9. file — a line of people
  10. kid — to tease
  11. band — a music group
  12. kid — child
  13. pitch — completely
  14. file — a tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — an aircraft

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