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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: fine · press · band · wax · file · bear · charge · pitch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. file — a tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. band — a ring
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. charge — a price
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fine — all right
  13. charge — electricity
  14. press — a publisher
  15. charge — in control
  16. file — a line of people
  17. band — a music group
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. file — a document
  24. fine — a penalty

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