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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.

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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: branch · suit · key · rock · ball · calf · spring · bark

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rock — music
  3. ball — a great time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bark — to shout
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. key — in music
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. spring — a coil
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spring — of water
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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