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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 120 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: stem · leaves · press · ball · plane · band · march · rock

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. band — a music group
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. march — music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rock — a stone
  14. march — the month
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — to push
  18. ball — a dance
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rock — music
  24. band — a ring

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