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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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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: mouse · rest · mine · fork · branch · rock · fall · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fall — to drop
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rock — music
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. branch — a division
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rest — what's left
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rest — a break

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