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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
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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: prune · branch · key · bear · firm · mate · board · mark

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — a company
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mark — a grade
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. prune — to trim
  13. board — to get on
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mate — a friend
  16. branch — a division
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — steady
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. bear — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. firm — decided

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