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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: branch · race · can · prune · bulb · mate · pound · hide

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. race — humankind
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bulb — for light
  10. race — a contest
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. prune — to trim
  14. can — a tin
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — a tin
  23. branch — a division
  24. mate — a friend

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