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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 · suit · lie · shower · tube · stand · jam · branch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. shower — rain
  3. tube — the underground
  4. file — a line of people
  5. stand — to bear
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tube — a container
  16. shower — to wash
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. file — a tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. suit — in cards

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