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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: branch · capital · rush · rule · tube · saw · bulb · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. field — a subject
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. capital — money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rule — a law
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — hurry
  19. tube — a container
  20. branch — a division
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. field — farmland
  23. tube — the underground
  24. capital — a big letter

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