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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: branch · ruler · spell · tube · lie · present · fan · scale

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. scale — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. present — the time now
  11. spell — magic
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. present — a gift
  16. spell — letters
  17. present — there
  18. branch — a division
  19. scale — size or range
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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