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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: wax · suit · plane · swing · present · rule · press · band

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rule — a law
  4. press — to push
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rule — government
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. present — the time now
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. swing — music
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — a publisher
  15. wax — to grow
  16. press — newspapers
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. swing — to play on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. band — a ring
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. suit — to fit

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