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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
468
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: tube · firm · fan · stick · file · branch · object · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tube — a container
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — a company
  11. file — a tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. file — a line of people
  14. object — an aim
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — decided
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. rule — a law
  21. branch — a division
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — to rule out

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