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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.

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
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: present · object · can · mine · fork · lie · fine · leaves

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mine — for digging
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. fork — in a road
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — all right
  11. present — there
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. object — a thing
  24. leaves — to go away

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