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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 116 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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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: wind · stick · tube · snap · file · charge · pass · branch

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. file — a tool
  3. tube — a container
  4. snap — to click
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — a permit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tube — the underground
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. file — a document
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — a division
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wind — to turn a key

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