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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: board · bulb · leaves · bowl · bore · patient · jam · wax

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — to tire
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. board — to get on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bore — to drill

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