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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: wound · dip · toast · mate · ball · key · branch · bulb

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. key — in music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. branch — a division
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ball — a dance
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. dip — to sink
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. toast — bread
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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