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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: craft · wax · bore · fan · bay · bulb · pass · jam

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bore — to drill
  5. craft — boats
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wax — for sculpting

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