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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 120 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: rash · present · branch · suit · racket · prune · mouse · vault

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — to trim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — the time now
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. present — there
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rash — a series
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — a gift
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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