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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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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: calf · trunk · face · pass · lean · club · wax · pop

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. club — for dancing
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pop — music
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. club — for golf
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. lean — thin
  14. pop — soda
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. face — part of the head
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. club — a group
  21. face — to confront
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. calf — of the leg

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