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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: jam · lash · last · key · prune · branch · root · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — in music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. prune — to trim
  11. key — for a lock
  12. root — of a word
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. band — a ring
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. last — to go on
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. key — the most important part
  20. prune — to trim
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. prune — the fruit

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