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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: bay · bore · branch · staff · capital · key · lash · rush

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. staff — employees
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. key — in music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. capital — a city
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bore — to tire
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. key — the most important part
  24. capital — money

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