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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: stick · cabinet · shower · branch · object · mouse · mine · firm

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mine — for digging
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. shower — to wash
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. shower — rain
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. object — to protest
  24. mouse — for a computer

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