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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 · key · row · rash · present · vault · content · rush

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. key — in music
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — hurry
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. present — there
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. content — the amount
  13. present — a gift
  14. row — a line
  15. present — the time now
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. content — happy
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rash — a series
  24. branch — 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