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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 · craft · branch · temple · spring · current · toast · rule

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. toast — bread
  3. key — the most important part
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. spring — the season
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rule — a law
  11. key — for a lock
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. branch — a division
  14. current — happening now
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. craft — a skill
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. rule — government
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. craft — boats

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