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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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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: key · fall · wax · lash · pass · bark · jam · staff

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pass — a permit
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fall — the season
  10. staff — employees
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — employees
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. staff — a stick
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. key — in music
  24. wax — to grow

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