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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: key · game · stand · court · prune · nail · hide · branch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. court — of a king
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. prune — to trim
  11. branch — a division
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. court — for sport
  19. game — a match
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. key — in music
  22. game — wild animals
  23. key — for a lock
  24. court — of law

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