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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: vault · content · rush · can · branch · key · mug · prune

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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. key — the most important part
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mug — a face
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. content — happy
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mug — a cup
  11. content — the amount
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. key — in music
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. prune — to trim
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rush — hurry
  23. prune — the fruit
  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