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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: branch · rash · present · ground · key · drill · mouse · craft

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. drill — army training
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rash — a series
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. branch — a division
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — hasty
  15. drill — the tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ground — a position
  18. present — there
  19. ground — the earth
  20. drill — a practice
  21. key — the most important part
  22. present — the time now
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mouse — the animal

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