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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: nail · wax · pass · fan · bulb · plane · bowl · present

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — a gift
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. plane — a tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. present — there
  24. pass — to succeed

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