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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 116 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: plane · bore · suit · wax · present · band · swing · can

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — to be able to
  8. swing — to play on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. band — a ring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wax — to grow
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. present — there
  22. band — a music group
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. swing — music

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