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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.

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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: bore · branch · prune · key · cue · lash · spring · ball

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — for pool
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. key — for a lock
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. cue — a signal
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ball — a dance
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. spring — of water

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