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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: pass · mug · wax · wound · snap · calf · lash · club

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — to rob
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. club — for dancing
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. snap — to click
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. mug — a face
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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