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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. rash — a series
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. firm — steady
  8. band — a ring
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. firm — a company
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — decided
  16. band — a music group
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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