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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: jam · temple · plane · bore · prune · suit · pass · bulb

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bore — to drill
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pass — a permit
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. plane — a tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. suit — in cards

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