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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: rash · bowl · prune · key · branch · mate · roll · mouse

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — to breed
  9. key — in music
  10. roll — a cake
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. branch — a division
  14. rash — hasty
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mate — a friend
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bowl — a dish

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