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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.

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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: rule · tube · lean · bark · capital · branch · nail · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rule — government
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tube — a container
  9. capital — money
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. lean — to bend
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lean — thin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rule — a law
  24. 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