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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: pitch · stand · trunk · track · wax · jam · plane · press

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. press — to push
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. track — a song
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. press — a publisher
  16. wax — to grow
  17. press — newspapers
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pitch — completely
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. stand — to bear
  24. track — a path

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