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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 120 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: leaves · pound · ball · wax · net · branch · can · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. can — a tin
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. can — to be able to
  10. branch — a division
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pound — a weight
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. race — humankind
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — to grow
  21. race — a contest
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. net — in sport

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