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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · craft · bear · net · fan · wax · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — a skill
  6. race — a contest
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. net — after costs
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — for catching
  12. pound — a weight
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. net — in sport
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. craft — boats
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — to put up with

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