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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · content · rash · branch · current · perch · toast · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. branch — a division
  3. perch — the fish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — of water
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. current — happening now
  8. rash — a series
  9. key — the most important part
  10. content — happy
  11. toast — bread
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rash — hasty
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. content — the amount
  19. key — in music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — electric
  22. prune — to trim
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. toast — the most admired

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