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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: object · cabinet · present · stick · rock · board · bulb · branch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. object — an aim
  3. board — to get on
  4. object — a thing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — a division
  7. present — the time now
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. present — a gift
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — there
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rock — music
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. board — a committee
  24. object — to protest

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