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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 116 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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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: snap · pass · kid · wax · bulb · land · wound · bank

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bulb — for light
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — ground
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to click
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wound — an injury
  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