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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: key · hand · branch · snap · stick · spring · fine · suit

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. spring — a coil
  5. hand — help
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — the most important part
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — a division
  11. suit — to fit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. key — for a lock
  15. hand — in cards
  16. key — in music
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. spring — of water
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — the season
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — a penalty

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