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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.

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: perch · spell · key · rush · branch · mate · bass · vault

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. spell — magic
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — the most important part
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. mate — to breed
  13. key — in music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. spell — letters
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bass — low music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. vault — a safe

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