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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 116 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: wave · root · lie · tube · staff · branch · band · rule

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. branch — a division
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. rule — government
  10. band — a ring
  11. tube — a container
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. band — a music group
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. root — the cause
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lie — to recline
  24. tube — in a tire

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