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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: saw · file · rest · foot · branch · hand · bank · tube

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — in cards
  5. file — a tool
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. file — a line of people
  8. foot — a measure
  9. tube — a container
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. hand — help
  14. file — a document
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rest — a break
  17. branch — a division
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bank — for money
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — the underground
  24. branch — of a tree

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