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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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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: row · branch · arm · dip · rule · sharp · firm · tear

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rule — government
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. row — to paddle
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. tear — from crying
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. tear — from crying
  17. sharp — clever
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. firm — steady
  22. branch — a division
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rule — a law

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