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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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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: bulb · tube · rule · nail · wound · wind · file · suit

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — in cards
  7. file — a document
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rule — government
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wind — moving air
  15. tube — a container
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. file — a tool

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