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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
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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: lie · prune · mug · cabinet · mark · present · mouse · plane

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — there
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mug — a face
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  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