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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: cell · can · bulb · pass · prune · key · club · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. prune — to trim
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — a division
  11. pass — a permit
  12. club — for golf
  13. cell — in biology
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. cell — a phone
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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