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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 120 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: branch · ruler · cell · tube · snap · capital

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cell — a phone
  5. tube — a container
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — a division
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. tube — the underground
  16. capital — money
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. capital — a city

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