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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: wax · prune · jam · stand · fork · pit · ball · bore

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bore — to drill
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stand — on your feet

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