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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
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: firm · tube · rule · squash · branch · root · fan · safe

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. squash — to crush
  10. root — the cause
  11. firm — decided
  12. rule — government
  13. tube — a container
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. squash — the sport
  20. root — of a word
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — of a plant
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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