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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: fan · object · net · branch · key · can · bulb · prune

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. prune — to trim
  7. can — a tin
  8. net — in sport
  9. key — in music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. net — after costs
  14. branch — a division
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — a thing
  17. bulb — for light
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — an aim
  23. net — for catching
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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