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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.

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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: date · rock · roll · season · band · stick · press · wax

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a ring
  4. press — newspapers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. press — a publisher
  9. date — the fruit
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. band — a music group
  12. season — of the year
  13. rock — a stone
  14. roll — a list
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — in sport
  18. press — to push
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. band — a rubber band

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