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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: root · bulb · branch · saw · file · craft · tube · lie

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. file — a line of people
  3. tube — the underground
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. root — the cause
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. tube — a container
  13. root — of a word
  14. file — a tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. file — a document
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a tree

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