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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
468
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: branch · object · bark · spring · deal · key · chest · calf

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. chest — of your body
  4. object — to protest
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bark — to shout
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. chest — a box
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. chest — of your body
  14. spring — the season
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. spring — of water
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. branch — a division
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bark — of a tree

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