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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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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: last · calf · pass · stick · bark · leaves · wax · cap

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. last — finally
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. last — to go on
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. cap — a lid
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. last — final
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — to succeed

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