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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 116 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: lean · rock · club · spell · branch · key · cue · rash

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. club — for dancing
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. club — for golf
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rash — a series
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — to bend
  15. spell — magic
  16. lean — thin
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rock — music
  22. club — a group
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — hasty

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