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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: present · court · mine · branch · suit · cabinet · lie · fork

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. present — the time now
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lie — to recline
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. suit — clothes
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — there
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — ministers

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