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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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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: band · wax · sharp · current · nail · bulb · jam · firm

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. firm — steady
  5. current — of water
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — happening now
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. firm — decided
  17. current — electric
  18. band — a ring
  19. sharp — clever
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bulb — for light
  24. jam — in traffic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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