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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: can · hand · branch · last · rest · dip · scale · key

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. key — the most important part
  5. scale — in music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. last — finally
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hand — in cards
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. key — in music
  17. rest — a break
  18. key — for a lock
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — a division
  23. hand — help
  24. last — final

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