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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: fork · mug · branch · toast · wake · ball · cabinet · stand

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mug — a face
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wake — a trail
  9. toast — bread
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ball — a great time
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. stand — to bear
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fork — in a road
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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