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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: file · nail · rest · cue · stick · bulb · wave · branch

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. branch — a division
  24. rest — a break

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