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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: arm · pitch · leaves · can · net · chip · wax · current

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. net — for catching
  6. pitch — completely
  7. net — in sport
  8. chip — to eat
  9. current — electric
  10. net — after costs
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. chip — for betting
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — of water
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. current — happening now
  24. can — a tin

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