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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · nail · jam · snap · wax · plane · field · drill

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — a tool
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. field — for sport
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wax — to grow
  12. field — farmland
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — a permit
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. drill — army training
  19. field — a subject
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. snap — to click
  24. drill — a practice

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