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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 · fan · jam · current · bulb · wax · straw · patient

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. current — of water
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — happening now
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wax — to grow
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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