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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: kick · key · branch · craft · snap · face · rash · rush

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. craft — boats
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — hurry
  10. key — for a lock
  11. face — part of the head
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. face — to confront
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. key — the most important part
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. branch — of a tree

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