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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 120 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: tear · fine · tube · leaves · branch · rule · stand · spell

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. tube — a container
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — to bear
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — a division
  10. tear — to rip
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. spell — magic
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. rule — government
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. rule — a law
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tear — from crying

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