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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: plane · roll · branch · saw · straw · prune · vault · key

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — in music
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. branch — a division
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. key — the most important part
  14. roll — a list
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. vault — a safe
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. key — for a lock
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. roll — a cake
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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