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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: wax · pop · arm · stand · jam · bowl · mate · patient

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. pop — to visit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — to bear
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mate — a partner
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — soda
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pop — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mate — a friend
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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