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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: pop · suit · jam · rash · plane · row · bulb · wax

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — to fit
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pop — soda
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. row — a line
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rash — a series
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bulb — for light
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pop — 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