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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: mouse · present · cabinet · object · mug · fork · branch · mine

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. object — to protest
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. object — a thing
  20. present — the time now
  21. object — an aim
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mug — a face
  24. fork — in a road

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