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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
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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: branch · jam · tear · tube · saw · chip · rule · object

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chip — to eat
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. tear — to rip
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. branch — a division
  10. saw — the tool
  11. object — an aim
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. rule — government
  15. tube — a container
  16. object — a thing
  17. rule — a law
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. object — to protest
  21. tube — the underground
  22. saw — the tool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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