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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 120 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: plane · patient · fine · bulb · fan · pass · wax · game

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. game — a match
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fan — a supporter

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